BJP takes on Congress over banning Bajrang Dal promise

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the Congress on Tuesday for promising to banning Bajrang Dal and Popular Front of India (PFI) during the Karnataka election manifesto.

Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, accused the grand old party of accommodating Muslims. “PFI is already prohibited. The Siddaramaiah government withdrew the PFI lawsuits. So they’re suggesting that to placate Muslims, they’ll outlaw Bajrang Dal,” he explained.

“Congress is saying that PFI cannot threaten retaliation. “The Congress manifesto appears to be similar to the manifestos of the PFI as well as fundamentalist Muslim organisations,” Sarma, who is campaigning in the poll-bound state, further added.

In September of last year, the Centre labelled the PFI an ‘unlawful association’ for five years under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

All India Imams Council, Campus Front of India (CFI), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), Rehab India Foundation (RIF), National Women’s Front, Rehab Foundation, Junior Front, and Empower India Foundation, Kerala were also barred from working with the radical outfit.

According to the MHA, PFI and its associates, affiliations, or fronts were involved in violent terrorist actions to create a reign of terror in the country, jeopardising the state’s security and public order.

“Law and Constitution are sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals and organisations such as Bajrang Dal, PFI, or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities,” the Congress claimed in its Karnataka election platform.

“We will take decisive action by the law, including imposing a ban on any such organisations,” the Congress stated in its manifesto for the Karnataka elections in 2023.

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