Bajrang Dal row now spreads to Madhya Pradesh post Karnataka polls

Kamal Nath even took a swipe at the state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and said BJP lost six seats in the southern state out of eight where the BJP leader had campaigned.

“Chouhan canvassed in eight assembly seats in Karnataka and the BJP lost six of them. Things like this are waiting to happen in Madhya Pradesh),” Nath said as the party workers were celebrating the Karnataka win at the MP Congress office.

He even commented that Congress will get the blessing of Bajrang Bali in Madhya Pradesh as well after Karnataka which is the hub of intellectuals.

ALSO READ: Punjab court summons Mallikarjun Kharge in Bajrang Dal defamation case

Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls are scheduled to take place later in 2023 along with Chattisgarh.

It is to be known that for Karnataka polls, Congress in its manifesto had claimed that they would take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations such as the Bajrang Dal for ‘spreading hatred’ among communities over caste and religion.

Following this, the matter gained momentum as even Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the Congress during his electoral campaigns. He had said that Congress had earlier locked up Lord Ram, and now it wanted to lock up those who chant ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ (Hail Hanuman).

After his comments, Congress’ Pawan Khera said, ‘No one has given the Prime Minister the right to insult Bajrang Bali.”

Meanwhile on Monday, Punjab Court summoned Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a ₹100 crores defamation case filed by Hitesh Bhardwaj, the founder of Hindu Suraksha Parishad. Bhardwaj had alleged that Kharge made defamatory remarks against Bajrang Dal during the recently concluded Karnataka elections.

Apart from Madhya Pradesh, the Bajrang Dal row even spread top Telangana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Assam, where political leaders from Congress and BJP clashed in verbal fight.

Commenting on the Congress’ poll manifesto for Karnataka, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said, “The manifesto launched by Congress today shows that it is a complete Muslim fundamentalist manifesto. Even if Jinnah was alive, he would not make such a manifesto. Congress has become a Muslim fundamentalist party. Our HM had banned PFI and now Congress is saying that they will ban Bajrang Dal.”

While Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said, “I challenge the Congress to ban the Bajrang Dal if its leaders have the guts or capacity to do it.”

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel had said, “Decisions will be taken based on the situation in the state. If needed we will think about a ban on it in Chhattisgarh.”

With agency inputs.