Congress' promise to ban Bajrang Dal taken to appease Muslims, says Karnataka minister

Mangaluru: Decrying the promise in the Congress election manifesto that Bajrang Dal will be banned if they are voted to power, Karnataka Energy Minister V Sunil Kumar said the move is to appease the Muslims.

In a series of tweets, the minister said Bajrang Dal is not an anti-social organisation and it strives for protection of the Hindu community and gomata (mother cow).

Kumar, who was the state convenor of Bajrang Dal, said the organisation is a team of activists who are ready to undergo any sacrifice for the Hindu cause.

He wondered whether the Congress wants to ban Bajrang Dal just because the BJP banned the PFI last year.

Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said the Congress does not know the difference between a patriotic organisation and an anti-social outfit.

BJP MLAs and leaders in Dakshina Kannada district also deplored the pledge made by the Congress in its manifesto. Mangaluru North MLA Bharath Y Shetty said the assurance clearly proves that the Congress is totally 'anti-Hindu'.

Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath said the Congress, as always, is resorting to appeasement politics, while BJP Dakshina Kannada district president Sudarshan Moodbidri said the promise has exposed the "mindset" of the Congress.

Meanwhile, Bajrang Dal workers on Tuesday evening carried out a protest in front of the district Congress office against the party's pledge to ban the organisation.

Raising slogans against the Congress move, they also burned a copy of the Congress manifesto.

The Congress on Tuesday promised a ban on Bajrang Dal in its Karnataka election manifesto, a move denounced by the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who alleged that the opposition party which had "locked up" Lord Ram now wanted to target Lord Hanuman's devotees.