Belagavi: Senior Congress MLC B.K. Hariprasad on Wednesday demanded that the Karnataka government impose a ban on the Bajrang Dal, accusing the organisation of being involved in several criminal activities across the state.
Hariprasad said he has formally urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take action in line with the Congress election manifesto, which had included a proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal. “I have urged the Chief Minister to ban Bajrang Dal. It was part of our manifesto,” Hariprasad told PTI in a video statement.
He claimed the organisation had a long history of violent incidents in Karnataka. Recalling the recent murder of Congress worker Ganesh Gowda in Chikkamagaluru, Hariprasad alleged that the killers belonged to the Bajrang Dal.
“Our Congress worker Ganesh Gowda was killed in Chikkamagaluru district. He was murdered by Bajrang Dal workers. Their members have been involved in several murder cases,” he said.
Referring to earlier incidents, Hariprasad added, “In 2016 or 2017 in Udupi, a BJP mandal president, a Hindu, was killed by the same organisation along with the Hindu Jagarana Vedike.”
Citing these incidents, he said such organisations pose a threat to “a peaceful civil society” and must be banned without delay.
The issue resurfaced after the December 5 incident in Chikkamagaluru, where Congress worker and gram panchayat member Ganesh Gowda (38) was allegedly killed during a clash between two groups. The Congress has claimed Bajrang Dal members were involved, while police investigations are still underway.
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