Karnataka Elections: Bajrang Dal Burns Copies Of Congress Manifesto Over Promise To Ban Outfit

New Delhi: The Bajrang Dal on Tuesday staged a protest against the Congress for promising to ban the outfit in Karnataka if voted to power in the state. The Bajrang Dal workers, who staged a protest near the Congress headquarters in Delhi and Karnataka's Mangaluru, demanded that the party withdraw its promise. They were also seen burning the Congress manifesto for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly elections and raising slogans against party leader Rahul Gandhi.

In its Karnataka election manifesto released on Tuesday, the Congress said that it is committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations such as the Bajrang Dal and the Popular Front of India (PFI) 'spreading hatred' among communities on grounds of caste and religion. The action will include a 'ban' against such organisations, the Opposition party promised.

The Bajrang Dal is the youth wing of the RSS-affiliated Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).

VHP leaders, who also staged a protest in Delhi, said that the Bajrang Dal is 'the pride of the country' and that if the Congress does not change its Karnataka poll manifesto to withdraw the promise, a massive countrywide agitation will be launched. 

"Bajrang Dal is an outfit which ignites the flame of nationalism, saves the modesty of lakhs of women, protects gau mata (mother cow) from slaughter, and donates blood to save lakhs of people in the country. Bajrang Dal is the pride of the country and the Congress compares it with the banned terror outfit PFI," VHP spokesperson Vijay Shankar Tiwari told reporters.

He said the Congress has prepared a plan for 'committing suicide' by comparing Bajrang Dal with PFI, which was banned by the central government in September last year for its alleged terror activities. He alleged that the Congress was hand in glove with terrorists and rioters.

With its promise to ban the Bajrang Dal, the Congress has 'once again proved that it is anti-Hindu', he charged.

Delhi VHP secretary Surendra Gupta said the Congress should either change its 'mindset' or accept that it is 'anti-Hindu'.

"The Congress central leadership should intervene and withdraw the party's poll promise, else we will launch a massive agitation across the country," he said.

'Nationalist organisation' being 'defamed': VHP on Congress manifesto

The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Tuesday slammed the Congress for promising to ban the Bajrang Dal in Karnataka if voted to power in the state, saying by doing so, the party has defamed a 'nationalist' organisation.

In a video message, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said the Bajrang Dal will take the Congress' poll promise to ban it as a challenge and give a reply to the party in 'democratic ways'.

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"While releasing its manifesto for the Karnataka polls, the way the Congress has compared the Bajrang Dal, a nationalist organisation, with the PFI, an infamous anti-national, terrorist, and banned organisation, is unfortunate," he said.

Every member of the Bajrang Dal is 'dedicated' to serve the country and society while the entire world is aware of the activities of the PFI, Jain added.

"You cannot deceive the people of the country, (senior Congress leader) Sonia Gandhi. The way you have attempted to defame the Bajrang Dal, the people of the country will not accept it. Every activist of the Bajrang Dal will take it as a challenge," he said.

Hitting out at former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he also said that her party's 'hidden agenda' has come out in the open with its poll promise.

The Bajrang Dal and the people of the country accept this challenge and 'a reply will be given in all democratic ways', the VHP leader added.