Mangaluru (PTI): Amid strong protest from the Sangh Parivar against the Congress manifesto mentioning a ban on Bajrang Dal, senior Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Veerappa Moily on Wednesday said there was no suggestion before the party to ban Bajrang Dal if elected to power.
Addressing reporters in Udupi, he said the Congress had mentioned action against organisations like the Bajrang Dal in the manifesto in the backdrop of the Supreme Court's stringent observations against hate politics.
Moily said state governments did not have the right to ban such organisations. "The BJP, which now adores Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, forgets that Patel had banned the RSS at one juncture," he said, adding that Jawaharlal Nehru later revoked the decision.
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"The Supreme Court's stand over hate politics is very clear. We had made the statement in our manifesto as a part of it. But we have no intention of banning Bajrang Dal. KPCC president D K Shivakumar has made it clear today," Moily said.
Meanwhile, addressing reporters in Mangaluru, AICC spokesperson Gourav Vallabh alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hurt the sentiments of the devotees of Lord Hanuman by equating Lord Hanuman with an organisation.
He demanded an apology from the Prime Minister for his offensive remark on Lord Hanuman. "No one has given the Prime Minister the right to offend Bajrang Bali. He should apologise to Kannadigas for equating between an individual or organisation and Lord Hanuman," he said.
The Congress is committed to taking action against individuals and organisations that sow the seeds of division and spread hatred in the society, Vallabh said.
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Bengaluru, Feb 17 (PTI): Amid speculations about leadership change in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said it is for the Congress high command to decide.
There have been talks in the state's political circles, especially in the ruling Congress party, about a chief minister change later this year, under a "rotational chief minister" or "power-sharing" formula.
"It is for the high command to decide," Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question on discussions about leadership change.
Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, is a strong chief ministerial aspirant and has made no secret of his ambition to become the CM.
There have been time and again attempts by a section of party leaders and workers to project Shivakumar as the next chief minister.
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There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.
There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.
A section of party leaders, especially ministers considered close to Siddaramaiah, have been pitching for him to complete the full term as chief minister, stating that he was indispensable to the party if it wanted to retain power in the next election. These activities are notwithstanding Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's warning last month asking his party colleagues to 'shut up' and focus on governance, amid public statements from them on the leadership change issue.
A section consisting of ministers from SC/ST communities had even held dinner meetings last month, which was seen as an attempt to revive the demand for a Dalit or an AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) to become the next chief minister, in case Siddaramaiah demits office.