Karnataka polls: Will ban Bajrang Dal or anyone spreading hatred, says Congress

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by party leaders and workers, waves at supporters during a road show ahead of Assembly elections, in Chikmagalur, Karnataka, on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

The Congress is committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations such as Bajrang Dal and the Popular Front of India (PFI) "spreading hatred" among communities on grounds of caste and religion, the party said in its election manifesto for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls released on Tuesday.

The action will include a ‘ban' against such organisations, the party said. It also promised to "repeal all unjust laws and anti-people laws passed by the BJP government" within one year of coming to power.

Other poll promises

In the manifesto - 'Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota' (Peaceful garden of all communities) - released by Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge in the presence of the state unit chief D K Shivakumar and CLP leader Siddaramaiah, among others, the party reiterated its five guarantees - ‘Gruha Jyothi', ‘Gruha Lakshmi', ‘Anna Bhagya', ‘Yuva Nidhi' and ‘Shakti'.

Kharge said, "I am giving the sixth guarantee that these guarantees will surely be implemented in the first cabinet meeting on the first day of the government formation."

While the ‘Shakti' scheme proposes free travel for women throughout the state in regular government-run KSRTC/ BMTC buses, under the ‘Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, each woman head of the family will receive R2,000 monthly assistance.

Gruha Jyothi promises 200 unit free electricity a month to all households. Under ‘Anna Bhagya', every person in BPL (below poverty line) family will receive 10 kg food grains, which can be rice or millets including Ragi and Jowar every month.
Under the "Yuva Nidhi", Rs 3,000/month will be provided to all unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 a month for all unemployed diploma graduates (both in the age group of 18 to 25) for two years.

The party also promised to enact a ‘Karnataka Whistleblowers Protection Act' if voted to power. The Congress said it will demand Karnataka's rightful share from the Centre in total taxes collected and fight against the efforts to "dilute the Constitutional rights in the federal system".

The party said it will reject National Education Policy and form a State Education Policy.

Shivakumar said, "If we come to power, it will be like people coming to power. This is how we will govern the state. Give us your support and we will live up to our promises."

VHP hits back

The Vishva Hindu Parishad accused the Congress of defaming a "nationalist" organisation. In a video message, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said, "You cannot deceive the people of the country, (senior Congress leader) Sonia Gandhi. The way you have attempted to defame the Bajrang Dal, people of the country will not accept it. Every activist of the Bajrang Dal will take it as a challenge."

"We do not dabble in politics. But you want to drag us into politics. Then, we would like to respond to you in that arena also and we will not let your wrong intentions be fulfilled," he added.

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