Congress' Karnataka Manifesto Triggers War Of Words In Madhya Pradesh

The promise to ban the Bajrang Dal by the Congress in its manifesto for the Karnataka Assembly polls has triggered a war of words in Madhya Pradesh, with the state home minister questioning the “Hanuman bhakti” (devotion to Hanuman) of Kamal Nath, the Congress state chief.

In a letter to Mr Nath on Wednesday, Home Minister Narottam Mishra said, “The Congress may go to any extent for the politics of appeasement.” In his counter, Mr Nath said that even the Supreme Court is saying that action should be taken against those spreading hatred.

The Congress, in its election manifesto for the May 10 Karnataka polls, said it will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on organisations like Bajrang Dal and PFI and alleged that they were promoting enmity among communities.

Bajrang Dal is a right-wing Hindu outfit and has often courted controversies over vigilante action. Bajrang is another name for Lord Hanuman and the outfit's insignia carries the picture of the deity.

“I have written a letter to Kamal Nath. I have seen his many tweets in which he posed himself as a Hanuman devotee. Congress equated Bajrang Dal with PFI. Nath should clarify his stance. This is the same Congress which kept questioning Ram Janmbhoomi,” he said.

Mr Mishra said that this politics of appeasement of Congress has hurt the sentiments of “Rashtra bhakts” and devotees of Ram and Hanuman.

Asked about banning Bajrang Dal in the Karnataka manifesto and if the same will be included in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Nath told reporters, “That will be decided by the manifesto committee. Even the Supreme Court and the entire state are saying that those who spread hatred and create controversies should face action. This is a matter of our social unity.” To a question about his being a devotee of lord Hanuman,Mr Nath asked, “What is its relation with this (banning Bajrang Dal)?” Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Sigh also posted several tweets in this regard.

“Modi ji's Religion is ‘Hindutatva' and not Hindu or Sanatan Dharm. As Savarkar ji has said ‘Hindutatva has nothing to do with Hindu Religion' Bajrang Dal has nothing to do with Lord Hanuman. It is an organisation of goons,” Mr Singh said in a tweet. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)