BJP slams Congress' Karnataka manifesto for equating Bajrang Dal to PFI

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday slammed the Congress over its promise of banning the Hindutva group Bajrang Dal and the Islamic outfit Popular Front of India, in its Karnataka election manifesto.

"PFI is already banned. Siddaramaiah government withdrew cases of PFI. So, they are saying that to appease Muslims, they will ban Bajrang Dal. Congress is saying that PFI can't say that we will take revenge. Congress' manifesto looks like the manifesto of PFI and fundamentalist Muslim organisations," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told news agency ANI.

"Even if Jinnah was alive, he would not make such a manifesto. Congress has become a Muslim fundamentalist party. Our home minister had banned PFI and now Congress is saying that they will ban Bajrang Dal," he added.

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje also hit out at the Congress for the Bajrang Dal ban promise in the manifesto.

"Siddaramaiah is the chief of Muslims, I have told this before, and my statement has turned out to be true. Congress is weighing PFI and Bajrang dal on the same scale, we won't tolerate it, " Karandlaje told reporters.

"As expected, the Karnataka Congress manifesto is truly a representative of reverse gear Congress', bankruptcy of vision but only appeasement politics. As always Congress guarantees Pakka 420. The good thing is that they will never get to implement it because BJP is winning Karnataka," BJP tweeted.

In its election manifesto for Karnataka polls, Congress vowed to ban organisations such as Bajrang Dal and PFI that spread enmity between the 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. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on any such organisations," the manifesto read.

The Congress also promised to repeal 'all unjust laws and other anti-people laws' passed by the BJP government in the state within 1 year of coming to power.