Chandigarh: A Punjab court on Monday summoned Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Rs 100 crore defamation case pertaining to the comparison of the banned Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) with the Bajrang Dal in the Congress manifesto for the Karnataka Assembly elections.

Civil Judge Ramandeep Kaur of Sangrur Court summoned him on July 10.

The Sangrur district court has summoned the Congress president following a complaint by Hitesh Bhardwaj, president of an organisation named ‘Bajrang Dal Hindustan’. The petitioner stated that during the recently concluded Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress in its manifesto had compared Bajrang Dal to anti-national organizations like SIMI and Al-Qaeda. Taking the name of Bajrang Dal, the Congress in its manifesto promised to ban organizations that promote enmity or hatred between majority or minority communities.

The Congress, in its manifesto released ahead of voting for the Karnataka assembly elections, had said organizations like the Bajrang Dal and the Popular Front of India (PFI) would be banned after forming the government in the state. The BJP directly linked it to the insult of Bajrang Bali. PM Modi himself accused the Congress of insulting Bajrang Bali during public meetings.

The Congress manifesto stated that the Congress party is committed to taking firm and decisive action against individuals and organizations that spread hatred between communities on the basis of caste or religion. We believe that law and constitution are sacred and cannot be violated by any organization like Bajrang Dal, PFI.

Although the Congress announcement was fiercely opposed by BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the election rallies, no effect was seen in the election results. The Congress registered a landslide victory in Karnataka, winning 135 total 224 assembly seats.

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