Congress won't ban Bajrang Dal in Madhya Pradesh, says Digvijaya Singh

Congress' poll promise in Karnataka of banning Bajrang Dal had turned into a major controversy, with BJP making it a major issue during its campaigns

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday said that his party, if elected to power in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly election, will not ban Bajrang Dal. 

The Bajrang Dal, set up during the Ram temple movement, is the youth wing of the right-wing organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).

"We will not ban Bajrang Dal [if we win polls in Madhya Pradesh] as there can be some good people in Bajrang Dal as well, but we will not spare anyone involved in riots or violence," Digvijaya Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Digvijaya Singh, part of the Congress' Madhya Pradesh election committee headed by Kamal Nath, made the remarks at a media briefing.

Commenting on Kamal Nath's remarks on "Hindu Rashtra", Digvijaya Singh said, "You people have misrepresented Nath's statement. He never said what you people and the BJP are saying. I want to ask the BJP whether they have taken oaths of the Constitution or of Hindu Rashtra?"

On August 8, some reporters sought Nath's comment on spiritual preacher Dhirendra Shastri's purported demand to make India a Hindu Rashtra.

Nath had said, "World's largest Hindu population lives in our country. 82 per cent of Hindus reside here. It is not a debatable issue. It is not something to be told. These are statistics… What is the need to say it separately?"

Earlier this year, Congress' poll promise in Karnataka to ban Bajrang Dal had become a major controversy, with BJP making it a significant issue during its campaigns. The issue, however, had little influence as Congress won 135 seats and returned to power.

The issue was even raked up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had urged the public to say "Jai Bajrangbali" while voting. The BJP had said the Congress' proposal to ban Bajrang Dal insulted Lord Hanuman.

"The Congress in its manifesto, has decided to lock up Lord Hanuman. Initially, they locked up Prabhu Shri Rama [Lord Rama]. And now they want to lock up people who say Jai Bajrang Bali," PM Modi had said during campaigning.

The Bajrang Dal was recently in the spotlight when a religious procession taken out by it in Haryana's Nuh district triggered communal clashes. Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died in the violence. The violence also spilled over to adjoining areas, including Gurugram.