Karnataka Election: Congress Files EC Complaint Against Eshwarappa For Burning Manifesto

BJP leader KS Eshwarappa burnt the Congress's manifesto after the party proposed to ban Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal.

BJP Leader KS Eshwarappa sets a Congress manifesto on fire.

The Congress on Thursday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India against BJP leader KS Eshwarappa for burning the party's manifesto. It lodged another complaint against PM Narendra Modi "for hurting sentiments". Karnataka BJP leader Eshwarappa burnt the Congress manifesto after the party said that it would ban Bajrang Dal for disturbing public peace. He said that the Hindu outfit is a nationalist organisation.

The Congress, in its manifesto for the May 10 Assembly election in Karnataka, said it was committed to taking firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste and religion.

In the manifesto, Congress said: "We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and cannot 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 such organisations".

Eshwarappa claimed that Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar and senior leader Siddaramaiah were promoting "casteism" in the state and demanded that the Election Commission arrest both leaders.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Bajrang Dal staged a protest against the Congress in front of the party's state headquarters in Mangaluru. Bajrang Dal workers also staged protests near the Congress headquarters in Delhi and demanded that the party take back its promise. They also raised slogans against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Bajrang Dal is the youth wing of the RSS-affiliated Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). VHP leaders, protesting in Delhi, said that Bajrang Dal is the 'pride of the country' and if the Congress does not change its Karnataka election manifesto, a massive nationwide agitation will be launched.

Delhi VHP secretary Surendra Gupta said the Congress should either change its "mindset" or accept that it is "anti-Hindu". The central leadership of the Congress should intervene and take back the poll promise of the party. Otherwise we will start a massive agitation across the country. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has hit out at the Congress's promise to ban the Bajrang Dal if voted to power in Karnataka, saying the party has defamed a 'nationalist' organisation.

On Thursday, however, the Congress denied saying that itr would ban the Bajrang Dal. Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said that the state government can't actually ban an outfit. That power lies with the Centre.

"We haven't said we'll ban Bajrang Dal. We said organisations like PFI and Bajrang Dal disrupt peace in society. I was a law minister in Karnataka and let me tell you state government can't do it [ban an organisation]. Even Bajrang Dal can't be banned by the state government. Our state president DK Shivakumar will give you a detailed clarification about it. There was no such proposal," Moily said. The U-turn by Congress came after BJP and Bajrang Dal workers held Hanuman Chalisa recitals across Karnataka on Thursday.