Hitesh Bhardwaj, the president of an outfit known as “Bajrang Dal Hindustan” had filed the defamation case.
New Delhi:
A Punjab court docket in the present day summoned Congress occasion chief Mallikarjun Kharge in a Rs 100 core defamation associated to the occasion equating the banned Islamic outfit Standard Entrance of India (PFI) with Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Sangh-affiliated Vishwa Hindu Parishad, in its Karnataka Meeting election manifesto.
The Sangrur district court docket summoned the Congress President after a grievance from Hitesh Bhardwaj, the president of an outfit known as “Bajrang Dal Hindustan.”
Throughout the recently-concluded Karnataka meeting elections, the Congress in its manifesto in contrast Bajrang Dal with “anti-national organisations like SIMI and Al-Qaeda”, the petitioner stated.
Naming the Bajrang Dal, the Congress in its manifesto promised to ban organisations that promote “enmity or hatred, whether or not amongst majority or minority communities”.
“The Congress Get together is dedicated to take agency and decisive motion towards people and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste or faith. We consider that regulation and Structure is sacrosanct and can’t be violated by people and Organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others selling enmity or hatred, whether or not amongst majority or minority communities,” the Congress manifesto, known as ‘Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota’ (peaceable backyard of all communities), learn, including that the occasion, if voted to energy within the state, will take ‘decisive motion’ as per regulation, together with imposing a ban on them.
Outgoing Karnataka minister CN Ashwathnarayan, who retained his seat within the Malleshwaram constituency, on consequence day challenged the Congress to ban the Bajrang Dal, which is commonly linked with vigilantism, violence and ethical policing.
“How dare they speak about banning Bajrang Dal. Allow them to strive. We are going to present what we are able to do,” he stated.
The Congress, nonetheless, was pressured to make clear its promise after huge backlash from BJP leaders, together with public taunts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at election rallies. The Congress has determined “to lock up” Bajrang Bali devotees, stated PM Modi, and urged voters to chant ‘Jai Bajrangbali’ and punish those that “abuse tradition”. The grand outdated occasion, which later registered a thumping victory in Karnataka, profitable 135 of the entire 224 Meeting seats, had stated it had “no proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal” as a result of banning an organisation prefer it got here underneath the central authorities.
However the occasion additionally hit again on the Prime Minister, accusing him of “hurting spiritual sentiments” of devotees by equating Lord Hanuman with the Bajrang Dal, and demanded an apology from him.
Quickly after it was clear that Congress was headed for a cushty win, occasion employees taunted the BJP and the best wing by turning up at occasion officers dressed as Bajrangbali Hanuman.
“Bajrangbali BJP ke nahi Congress ke sath hain… Bajrang Bali ne BJP par tremendous lagaya hai (Lord Bajrangbali is with the Congress. He has levied a tremendous on the BJP,” stated one of many employees, strolling round in a Hanuman costume.