Punjab court summons Congress president over promise to ban Karnataka Bajrang Dal

New Delhi: A Punjab court has summoned Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over his party’s promise to ban right-wing outfit Bajrang Dal in Karnataka. According to reports, Punjab’s Sangrur court has issued summons to the Congress chief in a Rs 100 crore defamation case recently filed by Hindu Suraksha Parishad founder Hitesh Bhardwaj against Kharge for “making derogatory remarks against Bajrang Dal”. . Karnataka elections over.

It is noteworthy that the Congress had promised to ban organizations like PFI and Bajrang Dal in its election manifesto for the Karnataka assembly elections. The Congress manifesto for Karnataka stated that it would take “stern action against organizations like the Bajrang Dal which promote enmity and hatred between different communities”. It also promised to protect minorities from “communal violence” and “false cases”.

It took the name of the Popular Front of India (PFI), a Muslim group banned along with the Bajrang Dal for its alleged links to terrorism, often linked to vigilantism, violence and moral policing.

Following a reaction from members of the ruling BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress clarified the promise, saying that “there was no proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal” as banning such an organization was under the purview of the central government.

However, the main opposition party hit back at the prime minister, accusing him of “hurting the religious sentiments” of devotees by comparing Lord Hanuman with Bajrang Dal and demanded an apology from him.