Karnataka Election 2023: BJP slams Congress for poll promise to ban Bajrang Dal in state; check details

Speaking to reporters, Khera said, "The prime minister is insulting our faith in Lord Hanuman. He should apologise to the country as he has hurt our religious sentiments. No one has given the prime minister the right to insult Bajrang Bali."

Karnataka Election 2023: BJP slams Congress for poll promise to ban Bajrang Dal in stat; check details AJR

Team Newsable

First Published May 2, 2023, 6:02 PM IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (May 2) slammed Congress and accused it 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, 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.

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"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.

"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.

Meanwhile, the Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of hurting religious sentiments of devotees by equating Lord Hanuman with the Bajrang Dal and demanded an apology from him.

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Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said it is shameful that the prime minister has drawn such a parallel which is an insult to crores of devotees of Lord Hanuman.

On Tuesday, PM Modi hit out at the Congress for promising to ban the Bajrang Dal in its Karnataka election manifesto. He called it the party's attempt at trying to lock up those who worship Lord Hanuman.

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He claimed that the Congress had earlier locked up Lord Ram and now it wanted to lock up those who chant 'Jai Bajrang Bali' (Hail Hanuman).

(With inputs from PTI)

Last Updated May 2, 2023, 6:19 PM IST