Bengaluru: ECI stops VHP members from reciting Hanuman Chalisa
What's the story
A team of the Election Commission of India (ECI) reportedly stopped the members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) from organizing a recital of Hanuman Chalisa at Bengaluru's Vijaya Nagar on Tuesday.
The ECI officials said that Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibits gatherings of more than five people, was in effect due to the Karnataka elections on Wednesday.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The VHP is a Hindu-supremacist organization and a member of the Sangh Parivar, which is led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological progenitor of the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Notably, in its manifesto, the Congress vowed to ban Bajrang Dal if voted to power. Following this, the organization termed the party anti-Hindu and announced plans to organize Hanuman Chalisa recitals.
Statement
Section 144 doesn't apply on devotees: VHP member
After being stopped from holding the religious recital, VHP members insisted that their program was not related to any party or the polls scheduled for Wednesday.
A VHP member, Abhishek, accused the ECI officials of wrongdoing, claiming that Section 144 is applicable only to rioters and politicians.
He said, "This law doesn't apply to a Ram bhakt or a Hanuman bhakt."
Twitter Post
ECI stopped us, Congress targeting Hindus: VHP member
#WATCH | A VHP member, Abhishek says that he along with other members of the organisation were stopped from reciting Hanuman Chalisa by a team of the Election Commission in Bengaluru's Vijaya Nagar today citing the imposition of Sec 144 CrPC in the area for Karnataka elections pic.twitter.com/jh4EWapNIt
— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2023
Quote
Congress anti-Hindu, wants to turn India into Taliban: VHP member
He said that every Ram and Hanuman bhakt was being "targeted" and blamed the Congress for "not allowing Hindus to worship." He questioned whether the Congress wants to turn India into "Pakistan or the Taliban," adding that he couldn't make sense of this law.
Modi
Chant 'Jai Bajrangbali' while casting your vote: PM Modi
While campaigning in the state earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people to cast their vote for the BJP while chanting "Jai Bajrangbali" to "punish" the Congress for its "culture of abuse."
Meanwhile, the Congress said it was committed to taking "firm and decisive action against individuals and organizations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste or religion."