As Karnataka inches closer to voting for the next state government on May 10, the Congress party has promised to ban organisations that spread communal hatred in the state.
In its manifesto released on Tuesday, the Congress party leaders including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, state president D K Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah party’s national spokesperson Pawan Khera, senior leader P Chidambaram identified and compared Hindutva organisation Bajrang Dal in the same lengths to the banned Islamic organisation PFI (Popular Front of India).
On September 28, 2022, the BJP-led Central Government banned PFI for five years, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. They stated PFI had a secret agenda of radicalising certain sections of the society that posed a threat to India’s integrity, sovereignty and security.
The Congress party on Tuesday said if voted to power, it will take action against any individual, and organisations responsible for spreading communal hatred or promoting enmity between different communities.
The manifesto named ‘Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota’ (peaceful garden of all communities), states, “The Congress Party is committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste or religion. We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and can not be violated by individuals and Organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities.”
Karnataka will go to the Assembly elections on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.
VHP, BJP not happy
Reacting strongly over the comparison of Bajrang Dal with PFI, leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Hindutva organisations Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) termed Congress’s manifesto as ‘unfortunate for the people of Karnataka’.
International joint general secretary of VHP Dr Surendra Jain posted a video saying that each and every Bajrang Dal worker works for India’s development and prosperity.
He alleged that the defamation of Bajrang Dal is a part of Congress’s conspiracy theory and the party has always supported PFI in the past. “Bajrang Dal has always stood against anti-India elements like PFI while remaining inside the perimeters of the Constitution,” Surendra Jain said.
BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya posted Jain’s video and tweeted, “Surendra Jain, International General Secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, tears into the Congress for equating Bajrang Dal with banned terror organisation PFI… Reminds Sonia Gandhi how she opposed a ban on, now banned, SIMI. The Congress, it seems, has decided to dig its grave.”
Using #KannadigasWithModi as a hashtag, BJP Karnataka, on its official Twitter account, tweeted, “I’m fortunate to be at the birthplace of Shri Hanuman, but it also unfortunate to know that at the same time I’m here, the Congress has declared to ban the Bajrang Dal, who revere Bajrang Bali Hanuman, if they come to power: PM Shri @narendramodi.”
RSS leader Rupa Murthy tweeted, “Karnataka Congress has promised to ban BAJRANG DAL IN KARNATAKA if voted to power. What next? Mandate celebrations of Tippu Jayanti in every household. Jail those who wear Janeu? Ban Kumkuma and Kalava? If you still want to vote Congress to power in Karnataka, or if you simply want to abstain from voting, you too are a huge part of the problem! #FullSupportToBajrangDal.”
