Lord Rama, Bajrang Bali, Arjun: Epic heroes dominate Karnataka poll rhetoric

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New Delhi, May 4

Lord Rama and Bajrang Bali to ace warrior Arjun,heroes of Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata continued to dominate Karnataka election rhetoric even as the VHP held protests across the state against Congress Party’s poll promise to ban the Bajrang Dal.

Bajrang Dal is the youth wing of RSS affiliate Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

On campaign trail on Thursday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra while addressing a rally at Kanakgiri in Koppal urged voters to become “Arjun”.

“You should all become Arjunas of Mahabharata and like him set your eyes on the goal of voting for your developed and prosperous futures. No matter how big a leader comes and says something, do not stray from your goal. Stay focused on issues that concern you and your lives,” Vadra said, invoking Arjun.

Vadra also accused the ruling BJP government in the state of being a 40% commission government. “Isn’t it sad and shameful that Karnataka BJP is known as “40% Sarkar”? This name was not given by any party, but was given by the contractors who were forced to commit suicide,” Vadra said.

This even as BJP star campaigners led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued to start and end their rallies with Jai Shri Ram and Jai Bajrang Bali chants.

In a new twist to the Bajrang Dal controversy today, Congress general secretary communications Jairam Ramesh reminded the BJP whether it was an insult to Lord Rama when saffron governments banned Sri Ram Sene.

“The PM’s hypocrisy, especially when in despair and desperation, has no limits. On August 20, 2014, his BJP colleague and CM of Goa Manohar Parrikar banned the Sri Ram Sene in the entire state. In 2020, the BJP government in Goa again banned Sri Ram Sene for 60 days. Did the PM consider this an insult to Lord Ram?” asked Ramesh as the BJP spun the Congress promise of banning Bajrang Dal into an anti Lord Hanuman narrative.

Meanwhile, Congress veteran Veerappa Moily today backtracked on the Bajrang Dal ban issue saying there was no suggestion before the party to ban Bajrang Dal if elected to power and the party had promised action against such organisations in its poll manifesto in the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s observations against hate politics.

Commenting on Moily’s remarks, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said,” In days, the Congress has realised they cannot ban Bajrang Dal. No matter what they say now, the people of the country will not forgive them and the people of Karnataka will make them pay for their sin.”