Veerappa Moily Clarifies That Congress Has No Plans To Ban Bajrang Dal

According to Congress's leader, Veerappa Moily, there is no plan to outlaw Bajrang Dal. Following a promise to outlaw the Bajrang Dal in its Karnataka election 2023 manifesto on April 2, Moily made his statement two days later.

Congress' comparison of the Bajrang Dal to the Popular Front of India (PFI) has drawn criticism from the BJP. The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked Congress' electoral promise to outlaw the Bajrang Dal. Speaking at a rally in Karnataka, PM Modi claimed the Congress had "locked up" Lord Ram and was now seeking to assassinate followers of Lord Hanuman.

Meanwhile, Ashok Gehlot, the chief minister of Rajasthan, also commented, asserting that the inclusion of PFI alongside Bajrang Dal in the manifesto was evidence of Congress's lack of bias against any group endangering amity, regardless of religion or community.

In the meantime, the Bajrang Dal declared that it will host recitals of the Hanuman Chalisa throughout the state of Karnataka in opposition to the Congress' pledge to outlaw the group in its election agenda.

Surendra Jain, joint general secretary of the VHP, responded to Congress' election threat to outlaw the Bajrang Dal by saying that his organisation has accepted this as a challenge and will respond to the grand old party in "democratic ways."