Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday slammed the Congress over its manifesto on ‘banning the Bajrang Dal’ along with Popular Front of India (PFI). Addressing a rally in poll-bound Karnataka's Chikmagluru, Adityanath accused the grand old party of making a mockery of Hindu faith by threatening to ‘ban Bajrang Dal’ if elected to Karnataka. He said the Hindu community "will not tolerate and not accept it."
"Those who don't like 'Ek Bharat, Sreshth Bharat' somewhere encourage anti-social and anti-national organisations like Popular Front of India (PFI) on the one hand, and want to ban organisations committed to patriotism and social service on the other," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
Adityanath said similar to Uttar Pradesh becoming a peaceful state, the double engine government in Karnataka attempted to break the backbone of PFI by outlawing it.
{{/usCountry}}Adityanath said similar to Uttar Pradesh becoming a peaceful state, the double engine government in Karnataka attempted to break the backbone of PFI by outlawing it.
{{/usCountry}}The Centre in September last year had banned PFI and several other associated organisations for five years.
"The PFI was encouraged when the Congress and the JD(S) were in power in Karnataka. But there is peace, unity, and security because of the BJP's double-engine government," Adityanath claimed.
The Congress has come under fire since the release of its electoral manifesto for the Karnataka assembly election 2023, in which it spoke for a ban on organisations that promote hatred and enmity, such as the Bajrang Dal and the PFI.
"We believe that law and the Constitution are sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals and organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI, or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities," the Congress stated. "We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on such organisations."
However, the statement sparked a flurry of political responses from the BJP and right-wing groups, with prime minister Narendra Modi equating the Bajrang Dal's predicted ban with imprisoning Lord Hanuman and his followers.
Since then, a number of Congress leaders have made efforts to lessen the blow. DK Shivakumar, the state party president, made temple tour and pledged to erect new Hanuman temples or restore those that already exist around the state.
(With agency inputs)