Ban on Bajrang Dal only if it disrupts peace: Karnataka home minister

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Thursday that the Congress government will move towards banning the Bajrang Dal only if the organisation takes the law into its own hands.

Parameshwara said this after inaugurating his Vidhana Soudha office.

The Congress' manifesto, which was prepared by a committee headed by Parameshwara, proposed a ban on Bajrang Dal. This riled up the BJP and prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make 'Jai Bajrang Bali' a war cry during his political rallies. However, this did not stop the Congress from romping home by winning 135 seats.

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"We've said Bajrang Dal will be banned only if it disrupts peace," Parameshwara told reporters when asked about the manifesto promise banning the Bajrang Dal, which is the youth wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad.

"Whosoever disrupts peace will face action, including a ban. If nobody disrupts peace and carries out assaults, then there'll be no ban. Why will we ban without a reason? I think such a situation won't arise. If it does, then we'll do it," Parameshwara said.

Parameshwara also said that the Congress government will not tolerate moral policing and communal activities. "We will take indiscriminate action under the law," he said.

The minister said the police department is a disciplined force. "One will get a guard of honour, a salute, a beating with a cane and a bullet. People can choose what they want - a bullet or cane-beating," Parameshwara said. The Congress government wants to make Karnataka the "garden of peace for all people", Parameshwara said, quoting poet laureate Kuvempu.

Asked about the police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment scam, Parameshwara said the government is discussing the way forward. "The matter is before the High Court. Still, I've discussed with senior officials and the advocate-general. We'll resolve the issue soon. We will make sure nobody faces injustice," he said, adding that whoever was involved in corruption directly or otherwise will face action.

On rolling out the five guarantees, Parameshwara said the Congress was aware of what it was promising citizens. "When we said we'd give Rs 2,000 to women, we knew what we were doing. Cylinder costing Rs 400 has become Rs 1,200, tur dal has gone from Rs 60 to Rs 180 and cooking oil is Rs 200 from Rs 80. We wanted to empower women to deal with this. All five guarantees will be implemented," he insisted.