Karnataka Elections: Congress promises to ban Bajrang Dal, like PFI

Congress election manifesto for Karnataka has promised voters 200 units of free electricity, free bus travel for women, allowances to unemployed graduates and diploma holders, 10 kg free rice to low-income families and Rs 2,000 monthly allowance to families led by women. However, the economically questionable promises were overshadowed by its proposal to ban organisations such as Bajrang Dal and Popular Front of India for, "promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities," after BJP leaders attacked the promise to ban Bajrang Dal.

"The Congress party is committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred among communities on grounds of caste or religion. We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals and organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on any such organisations," a paragraph in the Congress manifesto, released by AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge in Bengaluru on Tuesday, said.

The party announced it would increase reservation in government jobs and education institutions for SCs, STs, OBCs and others from 50% to 75%, and restore 4% quota for Muslims. The Congress government will increase quota of SCs from 15% to 17%, for STs from 3% to 7% and hike reservations for Lingayats and Vokkaligas and other communities, the manifesto said. Congress will pursue to have the revised quota policy included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution and release the socio-economic caste census conducted by the previous Congress governments, it said. Incidentally, a Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India YK Sabharwal had in 2013 ruled that laws enshrined in the Ninth Schedule after April 24, 1973, "shall be open to be challenged."

The manifesto contains several promises above the freebies pledged at the recent campaign rallies. An additional ₹2 subsidy has been promised on every litre of milk procured by Nandini and purchase of cow dung at ₹3 per kg and setting up of compost centres in villages. Congress has also promised to rework the floor area ratio for buildings and double it for structures in tier II cities that house businesses which add new jobs.