Congress' promise to ban Bajrang Dal taken to appease Muslims: Minister Sunil Kumar
Mangaluru (PTI): Decrying the promise in the Congress election manifesto that Bajrang Dal will be banned if they are voted to power, Karnataka Energy Minister V Sunil Kumar said the move is to appease the Muslims.
In a series of tweets, the minister said Bajrang Dal is not an anti-social organisation and it strives for protection of the Hindu community and gomata (mother cow).
Kumar, who was the state convenor of Bajrang Dal, said the organisation is a team of activists who are ready to undergo any sacrifice for the Hindu cause.
He wondered whether the Congress wants to ban Bajrang Dal just because the BJP banned the PFI last year.
Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said the Congress does not know the difference between a patriotic organisation and an anti-social outfit.
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BJP MLAs and leaders in Dakshina Kannada district also deplored the pledge made by the Congress in its manifesto. Mangaluru North MLA Bharath Y Shetty said the assurance clearly proves that the Congress is totally 'anti-Hindu'.
Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath said the Congress, as always, is resorting to appeasement politics, while BJP Dakshina Kannada district president Sudarshan Moodbidri said the promise has exposed the "mindset" of the Congress.
Meanwhile, Bajrang Dal workers on Tuesday evening carried out a protest in front of the district Congress office against the party's pledge to ban the organisation.
Raising slogans against the Congress move, they also burned a copy of the Congress manifesto.
The Congress on Tuesday promised a ban on Bajrang Dal in its Karnataka election manifesto, a move denounced by the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who alleged that the opposition party which had "locked up" Lord Ram now wanted to target Lord Hanuman's devotees.
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RR beat RCB by six wickets in IPL
Guwahati (PTI): Blistering fifties by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel powered Rajasthan Royals to a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match here on Friday.
Sent in to bat, RCB rode on a fighting half-century by skipper Rajat Patidar (63) to post 201 for 8.
Virat Kohli (32), Romario Shepherd (22) and Venkatesh Iyer (29) also chipped in with useful contributions.
In reply, Sooryavanshi (78 off 26 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (81 not out off 43 balls) shared a 37-ball 108-run partnership for the second wicket to set the platform. Krunal Pandya (2/30) tried to bring them back with back-to-back wickets.
But Jurel, in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (24), completed the task with another 68-run stand, with two overs to spare.
For RR, Jofra Archer (2/33), Ravi Bishnoi (2/32) and Brijesh Sharma (2/37) took two wickets.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 201 for 8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63; Jofra Archer 2/33, Ravi Bishnoi 2/32, Brijesh Sharma 2/37).
Rajasthan Royals: 202 for 4 in 18 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 78, Dhruv Jurel 80 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/30, Josh Hazlewood 2/44).
