'Bewakoofi Ka Udaharan...': Sitharaman's Take on Congress's Bajrang Dal Ban Plan in Karnataka Manifesto

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that Congress displayed a ‘bewakoofi ka udaharan [example of stupidy] by mentioning ‘Bajrang Bali’ in its manifesto for the Karnataka Assembly election 2023.

Congress Karnataka election manifesto has been in the eye of the storm for its proposal to impose a ‘ban’ on individuals and organisations like “Bajrang Dal and PFI” or others “promoting enmity or hatred”

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The Congress then was at the receiving end of massive backlash from BJP and right-wing organisations for bracketing Bajrang Dal with the Popular Front of India (PFI) in the manifesto for the May 10 polls.

Reacting to the row on Wednesday, Nirmala Sitharaman, who had come to a polling both to cast her vote, said the mention of Bajrang Bali in Congress’s manifesto is an example of stupidity.

“We always read Hanuman Chalisa and offer prayers to Bajrang Bali, but they [Congress] do this during the election,” Sitharaman said while speaking in Hindi.

“Karnataka Hanuman Ji ka janam sthal hai… manifesto me likh rahe ho.. bewakoofi ka udaharan iss se zyada kuch ho nahi sakta […cannot be a bigger example of stupidity than this],” Sitharaman added.

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, IT industry veteran N R Narayana Murthy along with wife Sudha Murty, and Mysuru royal family member ‘Rajamate’ Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, were among the early voters who cast their ballot in the Karnataka Assembly polls on Wednesday.

Voting began at 7 am on Wednesday. At the time of filing this report, Karnataka had registered a turnout of nearly 21 per cent.

Counting of votes for the Karnataka assembly election will take place on May 13.

Read all the Latest Politics News and Karnataka Elections 2023 updates here