Many were taken by surprise when during an election campaign, in the presence of Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge gave out a chant related to Bajrang Bali, but with a twist. He said, “Jai Bajrang Bali, break corruption ki nali.”
Ever since the ban on Bajrang Dal was incorporated in the Congress manifesto, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been accusing the Congress of being anti-Hindu.
Speaking exclusively to News18, Kharge said he had built 80 Hanuman temples in his constituency Kalburgi, because people wanted it. He also said that religion and politics must be kept separate, but the BJP does not believe in it.
He also criticised the PM for doing road shows in Bengaluru, while Manipur was burning. Not wanting to engage on who may be the CM if the Congress wins, Kharge virtually ruled himself, saying he was no dark horse.
On whether Bajrang Dal has put Congress on the defensive, Kharge said they purposely do it during election time. In Goa, they banned the Sri Ram Sena and no one said anything, not even the PM. In this election, because they fear they are losing, they are raising this issue. A majority of people are Hindu here, and everyone worships different gods and deities. Why should politics be merged with religion? The two must be separate. But these people want to mix it and polarise the state.
Referring to the promise by state Congress chief D K Shivakumar to build a new Hanuman temple, Kharge said he has renovated and built 80 Hanuman temples in his constituency.
With inputs from News18
The post Kharge claims he built or renovated 80 Hanuman temples first appeared on IPA Newspack.
