Congress Prez Kharge summoned by district court for Bajrang Dal remarks

The Sangrur district court on Monday summoned Congress party Chief Mallikarjun Kharge in a Rs 100 crore defamation case related to the party equating Bajrang Dal and the banned group Popular Front of India (PFI) in the party's election manifesto.

Kharge was summoned after a complaint from Hitesh Bhardwaj.

During the recently concluded Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress compared the Bajrang Dal with "anti-national organisations like SIMI and Al-Qaeda".

It named Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, in the manifesto and said that it would ban the organisations that promote "enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority 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," the manifesto, called "Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota" (peaceful garden of all communities), read.

However, after backlash from Bharatiya JanaytBJP leaders, it was forced to clarify its promise. It said that it had "no proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal" as such a step would fall under the ambit of Centre.

On Saturday, Congress registered a thumping victory in Karnataka winning 135 out of 224 assembly seats.