Bengaluru: Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Congress for allegedly insulting Lord Hanuman in its election manifesto for the May 10 Karnataka assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped up efforts to corner the Congress in the state. Done.
The BJP on Wednesday announced that it has instructed its cadre to assemble at temples across Karnataka on Thursday evening to recite the Hanuman Chalisa.
The Congress, in its election manifesto, compared the Hindutva group Bajrang Dal to the banned Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI). Alleging that such organizations “promote enmity” between communities, the party promised decisive action, including banning them.
Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has reportedly been contracted by the BJP to organize Hanuman Chalisa. path All over Karnataka. The organization has a considerable presence in the Coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka.
Union Minister and Convener of Karnataka Election Management Committee announced BJP’s plan Shobha Karandlaje Told the media, “Sonia and Rahul (Gandhi) should answer why Congress party abused Bajrangbali. Congress is doing appeasement politics for Muslim votes. This is the track record of Congress party. They first abused Ram.” Di and now they are abusing Hanuman.
Addressing a BJP rally in Karnataka’s Vijayanagar district on Tuesday, PM Modi had said, “The Congress had earlier banned Lord Ram and now it wants to ban those who chant ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’.” ‘
The next day, to further motivate the party cadre, Modi chanted “Jai Bajrang Bali” while addressing all three public meetings across Karnataka with the call of “Bharat Mata ki Jai”.
During a rally, he requested people to show their support by lighting torches on their phones and said, “Please cast your vote and don’t forget to chant ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ while exercising your right to vote.”
Speaking to ThePrint, Union minister Rajiv Chandrasekhar said, “It was the Congress that raised the issue of ‘Bajrang Bali’ by promising to ban Bajrang Dal. How can you compare PFI with Bajrang Dal? Congress is seeking minority votes through appeasement politics. It was the Congress leader who cried after the Batla encounter, now they want to humiliate the Bajrangis.
During the 2008 Batla House encounter, an armed operation was carried out by the Delhi Police during which members of the terrorist organization Indian Mujahideen were killed. According to media reports, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi reportedly “wept bitterly” after seeing pictures of the slain terrorists.
The Congress, in its response to Modi’s speech, said that Lord Hanuman and Bajrang Dal cannot be equated.
Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Surjewala said, “Lord Hanuman signifies purity, Lord Hanuman signifies devotion and commitment to duty, Lord Hanuman is a symbol of service and sacrifice.” “Comparing Lord Hanuman with any individual or organization is an insult and PM is hurting the sentiments of lakhs of devotees of Hanuman ji.”
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‘Congress is doing politics of appeasement’
However, facing an anti-incumbency wave in the state, the BJP seems to be using the issue to consolidate its Hindu vote base. At the same time, taking inspiration from Modi, BJP leaders continue to attack Congress.
During the Congress rule, on the instructions of Sonia Gandhi, it was said that Ramayana is imaginary, Ram does not exist. The same party which did not accept the existence of Ram now wants to humiliate Bajrang Bali… They are doing everything possible (to save PFI). This is the height of appeasement politics.
He said that the phrase ‘saffron terror’ was coined by Sonia Gandhi and the Congress, adding that people wearing saffron clothes were labeled as terrorists. “Now they want to put the devotees of Bajrangbali in jail,” he said.
the central government did last year PFI banned and its associates for five years for alleged links with “global terrorist organizations”.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that the Congress manifesto looks like it has been “propagated by PFI”.
Besides, the VHP joined the BJP in attacking the Congress. In a video statement posted on Twitter, VHP International Joint General Secretary Surendra Jain said: “Bajrang Dal is an organization selflessly dedicated to national interest and social good. … (Our) self-respecting workers are Islamic hindering the spread of extremism.” ,
Meanwhile, PM Modi continued his attack on the Congress for ‘supporting terrorism’.
“People of Karnataka should not forget the history of Congress… It has always promoted terrorism. They have always been sympathetic towards terror and terrorists,” he said.
In Chitradurga on Tuesday, Modi reminded the crowd how the Congress had questioned the surgical strikes in 2019 and “raised questions on the capabilities of the defense forces”.
Later, a senior BJP leader from Karnataka told ThePrint that the Congress had “aimed itself” by mentioning the Bajrang Dal in its manifesto.
“…there are many examples to show the anti-Hindu stand of the Congress…. During the Ram Setu hearing, the Congress government said that Ramayana is fictional…they questioned the existence of Ram…’, the leader said.
(Editing by Zinnia Ray Chowdhury)
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