Karnataka elections 2023: Congress' poll promise to ban Bajrang Dal in Karnataka insult to Lord Hanuman: BJP

Sambit Patra

The BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of "insulting" Lord Hanuman by promising to ban the Bajrang Dal in Karnataka if voted to power and said the people of the state will give a befitting reply to the party when they go to vote on May 10.

Addressing a press conference here, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the Congress promise in its Karnataka poll manifesto to ban the Bajrang Dal is an attempt to 'save' the Popular Front of India, an outfit banned in the country.

"Today, Congress released its manifesto, a bundle of lies, in view of Karnataka polls... This is audacious and the height of appeasement politics. This is the Congress attempt to save PFI by insulting Lord Hanuman," Patra told reporters.

He said the Congress has made such a promise in the "holy land" of Karnataka.

"Hanuman ji Karnataka ke gauravshali dev hain, Karnataka ki bhoomi Hanuman ji ki bhoomi hai. Congress ne hamare devta ka apman kiya hai (Lord Hanuman is the pride of Karnataka. Karnataka is the land of Lord Hanuman and Congress has insulted our lord," Patra said.

"This is audacious...Karnataka is not going to tolerate this kind of insult hurled on our Lord Hanuman ji," he said, adding the people of the state will give a reply to the Congress when they go to vote on May 10.

The Congress 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 party said in its election manifesto for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls released on Tuesday.

The action will include a "ban" against such organisations, the party promised.