Punjab Court Summons Mallikarjun Kharge In Rs 100-Crore Defamation Case

New Delhi:

A Punjab court today summoned Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge in a Rs 100 core defamation related to the party equating the banned Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) with Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Sangh-affiliated Vishwa Hindu Parishad, in its Karnataka Assembly election manifesto. 

The Sangrur district court summoned the Congress President after a complaint from Hitesh Bhardwaj, the president of an outfit called “Bajrang Dal Hindustan.”

During the recently-concluded Karnataka assembly elections, the Congress in its manifesto compared Bajrang Dal with “anti-national organisations like SIMI and Al-Qaeda”, the petitioner said.

Naming the Bajrang Dal, the Congress in its manifesto promised to ban organisations that promote “enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities”.

“The Congress Party is committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste or religion. We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and can not be violated by individuals and Organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities,” the Congress manifesto, called ‘Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota’ (peaceful garden of all communities), read, adding that the party, if voted to power in the state, will take ‘decisive action’ as per law, including imposing a ban on them.

Outgoing Karnataka minister CN Ashwathnarayan, who retained his seat in the Malleshwaram constituency, on result day challenged the Congress to ban the Bajrang Dal, which is often linked with vigilantism, violence and moral policing.

“How dare they talk about banning Bajrang Dal. Let them try. We will show what we can do,” he said.

The Congress, however, was forced to clarify its promise after massive backlash from BJP leaders, including public taunts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at election rallies. The Congress has decided “to lock up” Bajrang Bali devotees, said PM Modi, and urged voters to chant ‘Jai Bajrangbali’ and punish those who “abuse culture”. The grand old party, which later registered a thumping victory in Karnataka, winning 135 of the total 224 Assembly seats, had said it had “no proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal” because banning an organisation like it came under the central government.

But the party also hit back at the Prime Minister, accusing him of “hurting religious sentiments” of devotees by equating Lord Hanuman with the Bajrang Dal, and demanded an apology from him.

Soon after it was clear that Congress was headed for a comfortable win, party workers taunted the BJP and the right wing by turning up at party officers dressed as Bajrangbali Hanuman.

“Bajrangbali BJP ke nahi Congress ke sath hain… Bajrang Bali ne BJP par fine lagaya hai (Lord Bajrangbali is with the Congress. He has levied a fine on the BJP,” said one of the workers, walking around in a Hanuman costume.