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Bajrang Dal () is a Hindu nationalist militant organisation that forms the youth wing of the
Vishva Hindu Parishad Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) () is an Indian Right-wing politics, right-wing Hindu organisation based on Hindutva, Hindu nationalism. The VHP was founded in 1964 by M. S. Golwalkar and S. S. Apte in collaboration with Chinmayananda Saraswati, ...
(VHP). It is a member of the
right-wing Right-wing politics is the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position based on natural law, economics, authority, property ...
Sangh Parivar. The ideology of the organisation is based on Hindutva. It was founded on 1 October 1984 in
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
, and began spreading more in the 2010s throughout India, although its most significant base remains the northern and central portions of the country. The group runs about 2,500 akhadas, similar to the shakhas (branches) of the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS,, ) is an Indian right-wing politics, right-wing, Hindutva, Hindu nationalist volunteer paramilitary organisation. It is the progenitor and leader of a large body of organisations called the Sangh Parivar ( ...
. The name "Bajrang" is a reference to the
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
deity Hanuman. The Bajrang Dal's slogan is ''Seva, Suraksha, Sanskar'' or ''Service, Safety and Culture''. Some of the main goals of the Dal is to build Ram temple at the site of Ram Janmabhoomi in
Ayodhya Ayodhya () is a city situated on the banks of the Sarayu river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ayodhya district as well as the Ayodhya division of Uttar Pradesh, India. Ayodhya became th ...
and the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura, and also to expand the Kashi Vishwanath temple in
Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...
, which are currently disputed places of worship. The Bajrang Dal opposes
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
demographic growth, Christian conversion, cow slaughter, and western influence in Hindu culture.


Ideology

Bajrang Dal is a
right-wing Right-wing politics is the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position based on natural law, economics, authority, property ...
organisation. Together with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the organisation has spoken out against Islamic terrorism in India and have announced that they will carry out awareness campaigns across the nation. They have claimed that Islamic terrorists are hiding among the general population in India and mean to expose them. Convener Prakash Sharma stressed that they were not targeting any particular community, but were trying to "wake up" the people of India, particularly its youth, to the dangers of terrorism in the light of the 2002 Akshardham Temple attack perpetrated by terrorists linked to the militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba. Bajrang Dal shares the VHP's position against cow slaughter and has supported proposals for banning it. The
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
branch is at the forefront of anti-beauty contest agitation. Another of its objectives is preventing
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
-Muslim marriages.


Social media presence

Bajrang Dal is active on
social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...
.
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
's security team has tagged it along with right wing organisations Sanatan Sanstha and Sri Ram Sena, as a potentially dangerous organisation that supports violence against minorities across India. Regardless the organisation has been allowed to spread on Facebook due to political and safety considerations. Facebook has avoided acting against Bajrang Dal as it has ties with the ruling
Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; , ) is a political party in India and one of the two major List of political parties in India, Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. BJP emerged out from Syama Prasad Mukherjee's ...
(BJP) and because "cracking down on Bajrang Dal might endanger both the company's business prospects and its staff in India",
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
newspaper wrote, reaffirming its reportage earlier this year on the subject.


Militant activities

Bajrang Dal was banned in 1992 by the Rao government following the demolition of the Babri Masjid, but the ban was revoked one year later.
Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...
(HRW) reported the involvement of Bajrang Dal during the 1998 attacks on Christians in southeastern Gujarat where dozens of Churches and Prayer halls were burnt down by Sangh Parivar outfits. According to HRW, Bajrang Dal had been involved in riots against Muslims in Gujarat in 2002. In April 2006, two Bajrang Dal activists were killed in Nanded in the process of bomb-making. The same group of activists was also suspected of perpetrating the 2003 Parbhani mosque blasts. Those arrested told interrogators they wanted to avenge several blasts across the country. New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) subsequently accused the police of a coverup in Nanded. A report by the Secular Citizen's Forum and People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Nagpur claimed to have found maps of mosques at the home of one of the deceased, on 24 August 2008 in
Kanpur Kanpur (Hindustani language, Hindustani: ), originally named Kanhapur and formerly anglicized as Cawnpore, is the second largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Uttar Pradesh after Lucknow. It was the primary ...
. The VHP leader, Pravin Togadia, was arrested in April 2003 after distributing tridents to Bajrang Dal activists in Ajmer, defying a ban and prohibitory orders. He asserted that the coming Assembly polls in the Indian state of
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...
would be fought on the issue of tridents and attacked the ruling
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
Party for "placating" Muslims for electoral gains. He expressed satisfaction at the publicity received due to the incident. The Bajrang Dal has been accused of not allowing Muslims to own land in parts of Gujarat by attacking traders who sell to Muslims, attacking Muslim homes and forcing the sale of the house or flat. This creates a ghettoisation of large cities in Gujarat, like Ahmedabad and Vadodara. In June 2006, Bajrang Dal activists allegedly stormed a press meet, where 2 Christian rape victims were stating about their ordeal, accompanied by MP State Minorities Commission (MPSMC) member and prominent Christian leader Indira Iyengar. The district Convener Devendra Rawat had threatened the women about naming the right wing Hindu organizations, whose members were involved in the crime. In April 2017, Bajrang Dal members issued threats of rape and acid attacks against Assam based activist Bondita Acharya for condemning arrests of 3 people for possession of beef. On several occasions, acting as "Social Police", the activists of Bajrang Dal have indulged in moral policing and harassed un-married couples on
Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a Christian martyrs, martyr named Saint Valentine, Valentine, and ...
and forced them to apply
sindoor Sindoor (, ) or sindura (,) is a traditional vermilion red or orange-red or maroon Cosmetics, cosmetic powder (substance), powder from South Asia, usually worn by marriage, married women along the part of their hairline. In Hindu communities, ...
or tie rakhis against their wishes. The activists have often indulged in violence, invading gift shops and restaurants and threatening couples on Valentine's Day. Bajrang Dal activists have also targeted and moral policed women for wearing clothes like Bikini, Crop top, tube top, and sleeveless dresses, as they display vulgarity and are not a part of Indian culture. In September 2008, a fresh wave of attacks in Karnataka were directed against the Newlife Christian churches and prayer halls by the Bajrang Dal as a protest against defaming Hindu gods and religious conversion carried on by the Newlife Missionaries. Later, convenor Mahendra Kumar was arrested even after he publicly announced that they were not responsible for the attacks after the Federal
Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
had strongly criticised the State Government. In addition, the National Commission for Minorities has also blamed them for the religious violence in the BJP-ruled states of Karnataka and
Odisha Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by ar ...
. While some police reports claim that the Bajrang Dal was not involved ''per se'' and that the attacks were carried out by splinter groups, the testimonies of their activists showed exactly the opposite, as they described the attacks and openly warned of more violence. On 24 January 2009, members of Sri Ram Sene, a Bajrang Dal affiliate, attacked young men and women after dragged them out of a pub in Mangalore. A group of 40 activists of the Sena barged into the pub "Amnesia — The Lounge" and beat up a group of young women and men, claiming the women were violating traditional Indian values. Two of the women were hospitalized. The video of the incident has become one of the most watched clips on
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
, though how the TV crew happened to be ready at the 'unannounced' attack is not known. Starting 14 February 2011, there was a fresh wave of violence directed at people celebrating Valentine's Day in Kanpur city, in the province of
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
. "Offenders", so called, are forced to hold their ears and do sit-ups as punishment for being caught celebrating the "Western holiday". Police were called in to calm the sectarian violence and discrimination. On 2 November 2014, during the Kiss of Love protest against moral policing, members of Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and many other right wing groups opposed and attacked protestors and threatened to strip protestors for kissing on the streets. These opposing groups claimed that public display of affection is against both Indian culture and the law of the land (under section 294 of the Indian Penal Code), though according to the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court, kissing in public is not a criminal offence. Police took many of the Kiss of Love protestors into custody to save their lives, but were blamed for giving a free hand to counter protestors of the right wing groups. From 2015, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have been accused of promoting and indulging in Cow vigilantism, apparently targeting Muslims and lower caste Hindus, mostly
Dalit Dalit ( from meaning "broken/scattered") is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. They are also called Harijans. Dalits were excluded from the fourfold var ...
s. Human rights groups have slammed several state Governments for promoting and supporting such acts, even turning a blind eye. Police officers have been threatened by members of cow protection groups for intervening in such cases or arresting cow vigilantes. Following the Una Flogging incident in July 2016 in Gujarat, where 4 dalits were brutally thrashed by Bajrang Dal goons and vigilantes when they were skinning dead cow carcasses, the victims converted to
Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
. The conversion irked some perpetrators, who attacked the victims for the second time when they were out on bail. Following the death of the Dalit victim and subsequent forced cremation by Uttar Pradesh Police officials in the Hathras rape and murder, Bajrang Dal faced media criticism and widespread condemnation for supporting the accused as they belonged to the higher caste Thakurs and issued threats to the kin of the victim to drop the case, which eventually reinforced their ideology of caste bigotry. Several Bajrang Dal activists joined expelled BJP MLA Rajveer Singh Pehelwan, who held a protest rally to support the accused, after they were arrested. Along with members of Bajrang Dal, members of the
Vishva Hindu Parishad Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) () is an Indian Right-wing politics, right-wing Hindu organisation based on Hindutva, Hindu nationalism. The VHP was founded in 1964 by M. S. Golwalkar and S. S. Apte in collaboration with Chinmayananda Saraswati, ...
(VHP), Karni Sena, Kshatriya Mahasabha, Savarna Samaj Sangathan, and Rashtriya Savarna Sangathan also attended the protest in October 2020. On 7 October 2020, the Ex-BJP MLA and 100 others were booked by the UP Police for organizing the rally. In April 2022, Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad activists clashed with Police Officers in Noida over the arrest of a rape accused. Following the introduction of Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance, 2020 in Uttar Pradesh to curb Love Jihad, Bajrang Dal, acting as a parallel police force, has been condemned for stopping consensual inter-religious and inter-caste marriages. Bajrang Dal has also been slammed for supporting patriarchy and called for restricting freedom of women, particularly to the point of when they choose their partners out of caste and religion. Days before Christmas, on 5 December 2020, Bajrang Dal leader Mithu Nath openly threatened and warned of beating Hindus for visiting Churches in Assam's Barak Valley. Following this, a case was filed against him by the Cachar district Deputy Commissioner of Police. On 13 December 2021, Bajrang Dal spread violence in the congregation of a Hindu saint, some anti-social elements reached the gathering with sticks and guns and attacked unarmed people in which a person named Devi Lal Meena died. In 2022, on the occasion of Valentine's Day, several members of the Bajrang Dal protested in Hyderabad and Agra. The militants were caught harassing couples in Agra. Beginning 2022, members of the right-wing Hindutva groups in India have protested against the sale of Halal food in India. Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindutva groups were running door to door campaign in Karnataka, asking people not to purchase Halal meat. In March 2022 the Hindutva group Bajrang Dal physically attacked a Muslim meat seller. Five people were arrested in the incident. On 15 August 2022, the eleven men sentenced to life imprisonment in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case, which occurred during the 2002 Gujarat riots, were released from a Godhra jail by the Gujarat government. Following their release, the rapists were allegedly greeted with garlands from members of Bajrang Dal and
Vishva Hindu Parishad Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) () is an Indian Right-wing politics, right-wing Hindu organisation based on Hindutva, Hindu nationalism. The VHP was founded in 1964 by M. S. Golwalkar and S. S. Apte in collaboration with Chinmayananda Saraswati, ...
. The release and felicitation was criticized by several activists and members of opposition, and the release itself is controversial, because the convicts were released as per the old 1992 Remission Policy instead of the aggressive 2014 Policy. The challenge to release the rapists, which was pending in Supreme Court after a review petition was filed, was dismissed in December 2022, earning criticism from women's safety activists. The Supreme Court, however, redirected the Bombay High Court to look into the case. On 8 January 2024, the Supreme Court bench, led by Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, reversed the Gujarat Government's decision and canceled the remission, noting that the convicts were freed erroneously. In its judgement, the bench noted several frauds committed by one of the convicts Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah, also known as Lala Vakil, who had filed the petition for remission, as he did not declare earlier remission petitions submitted to the Maharashtra State Government, as the trial was transferred to the High Court in Mumbai - the remissions were denied on the recommendation of CBI, as well as the magistrate and Superintendent of Police of Dahod, Gujarat. The Supreme Court eventually ordered the convicts to surrender within 2 weeks to carry out the remainder of their life sentences. On 14 February 2023, Bajrang Dal activists were accused and criticized for intimidating couples across the nation against celebrating Valentine's Day, even physically attacking them. A few local citizens in Faridabad allegedly thrashed a few Bajrang Dal activists for attacking a couple sitting in a park, prompting police investigation. On 16 February 2023, 2 Muslim men of Ghatmeeka village in Bharatpur district in Rajasthan, were abducted and burnt to death by Bajrang Dal members belonging to the neighboring state of Haryana, on suspicion of cow smuggling. Though Bajrang Dal leaders denied the killings, 2 of the accused were found to be tied to the outfit. The main accused, Monu Manesar, accused of cow vigilantism, has been granted shelter from certain police officers of Haryana. The Haryana Government and State Police have been criticized for assisting the culprits, with Bajrang Dal activists attempting to stop Rajasthan Police from investigation and arrest of the accused. On 2 March 2023, Bajrang Dal activists attempted to stop a women's night party in Shivamogga, Karnataka. The activists, who attempted to moral police the women's group, claimed that women taking part in such events are against "Hindu culture". Police were called to intervene and prevent any untoward incident. The Bajrang Dal, along with Vishwa Hindu Parishad has been a major opponent of LGTBQ rights and describes homosexuality as mental disease. Several VHP activists have violently targeted LGBTQ parades across the country. Following the Supreme Court's judgement in April 2023 on same sex marriages, the VHP and Bajrang Dal welcomed the decision, calling it a Western attack on Indian culture. Following the decision to add caste as a form of discrimination by the city of
Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
and the state of
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
in the United States in 2023, the leaders and supporters of Bajrang Dal's parent organization
Vishva Hindu Parishad Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) () is an Indian Right-wing politics, right-wing Hindu organisation based on Hindutva, Hindu nationalism. The VHP was founded in 1964 by M. S. Golwalkar and S. S. Apte in collaboration with Chinmayananda Saraswati, ...
criticized this decision and attempted to stop the legislations to pass the bill. The decision was taken after caste-based discrimination issues in
Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that is a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical area of the Santa Clara Valley ...
came to the surface in 2020 with a lawsuit by the State of
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
against
Cisco Systems Cisco Systems, Inc. (using the trademark Cisco) is an American multinational corporation, multinational digital communications technology conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California. Cisco develops, m ...
filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH, later named Civil Rights Department). The Department sued Cisco and two of its senior engineers for discrimination against a Dalit engineer (identified as "John Doe"), who alleged that he received lower wages and fewer opportunities because of his caste. In the days leading up to the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, there were a number of incidents of violence and vandalism against minorities that were allegedly carried out by VHP and Bajrang Dal members. These groups, in their celebration, singled out religious minorities during the celebrations. These incidents included: * A clash between two groups in Mira Road,
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
, which resulted in injuries * A saffron flag being placed on top of a church in
Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...
* A mob playing loud music and dancing near a mosque in Kodangal, Telangana * A Muslim graveyard being set on fire in Bihar * A Muslim man being forced to chant Hindu slogans in Maharashtra * A right-wing Hindutva mob setting fire to a shop owned by a Muslim vendor as it conducted its rally from Daulatabad in Hathnoor mandal,
Telangana Telangana is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated in the Southern India, south-central part of the Indian subcontinent on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, ele ...
. On 2 February 2024, Police in Uttar Pradesh apprehended four individuals, including Monu Bishnoi, the Moradabad district president of the Bajrang Dal on charges related to cow slaughter, attempting to implicate a Muslim man in a fabricated case, and potentially hindering or conspiring against the police investigation. Bajrang Dal's Monu Bishnoi was in jail in an attempt to murder case. Post-release, Bishnoi engaged in illegal activities, attempting to manipulate the Chhajlait police station. On 14 February 2024, the Bajrang Dal, along with Vishva Hindu Parishad, intimidated and targeted couples who were celebrating Valentines Day. Several activists and leaders threatened resort to violence if clubs, pubs and corporate hotels across Hyderabad did not cancel celebrations for Valentines Day. The activists instead asked the youngsters to pay tribute to the soldiers and service-members who were killed in the 2019 Pulwama attack, which was perpetrated by
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed. On 13 February 2025, right before Valentines Day, Bajrang Dal activists engaged in moral policing against couples celebrating the western festival in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. The activists, who were armed with rods and sticks were intimidating and harassing couples by chanting “Jai Bajrangbali” and “Jai Shri Ram”(Meaning Hail Lord Hanuman and Hail Lord Ram). The act of moral policing was heavily criticized across several media outlets. To prevent any incidents of harassment and moral policing, the Jamshedpur Police in Bihar made elaborate security arrangements for couples.


Reception

The US State Department's 2000 report on international religious freedom and 2000 World Report by the
Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...
labelled this organisation as a Hindu extremist group. The US
Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...
classified the Bajrang Dal and the VHP as religious militant organisations in the "India" entry of ''
The World Factbook ''The World Factbook'', also known as the ''CIA World Factbook'', is a Reference work, reference resource produced by the United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. The off ...
'' on 4 June 2018,CIA calls VHP, Bajrang Dal 'religious militant organisations'
The Tribune, 15 June 2018.
but removed the mentions of the Bajrang Dal and the VHP from the entry by 25 June 2018. The group has also been called "terrorist", with Torkel Brekke referring to it as the "best known among the terrorist groups controlled by the RSS". Paul Brass described the Bajrang Dal as Indian equivalent of
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
's
Sturmabteilung The (; SA; or 'Storm Troopers') was the original paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party of Germany. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power, Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and early 1930s. I ...
. Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has called Bajrang Dal an embarrassment to the BJP and urged
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS,, ) is an Indian right-wing politics, right-wing, Hindutva, Hindu nationalist volunteer paramilitary organisation. It is the progenitor and leader of a large body of organisations called the Sangh Parivar ( ...
(RSS) to "rein them in". After the religious violence in Odisha, the
Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; , ) is a political party in India and one of the two major List of political parties in India, Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. BJP emerged out from Syama Prasad Mukherjee's ...
Prime Ministerial candidate L. K. Advani advised the Bajrang Dal to cease association with violence, concerned with the fact that it took pressure off the UPA government in
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
.


Demand for ban

In September 2008, the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
(INC) demanded a ban on the Bajrang Dal and the
Vishva Hindu Parishad Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) () is an Indian Right-wing politics, right-wing Hindu organisation based on Hindutva, Hindu nationalism. The VHP was founded in 1964 by M. S. Golwalkar and S. S. Apte in collaboration with Chinmayananda Saraswati, ...
(VHP) which according to the INC are involved in anti-national activities. Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said "White paper should be brought out not only against SIMI "( Students Islamic Movement of India)" but all organisations involved in anti-national activities like Bajrang Dal and VHP". Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said, "Those outfits involved in terrorist activity should be investigated, the question is why Bajrang Dal should not be banned". Muslim cleric Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahli, who is involved in the "Movement Against Terrorism", also demanded a ban on this organisation in the wake of the Kanpur blast. The monthly magazine '' Communalism Combat'' started by civil rights activists Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand demanded an immediate ban on the Bajrang Dal in August 2008. Leader of the Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) Ramchandra Paswan describing the Bajrang Dal as communal organisation said, "Bajrang Dal and VHP should immediately be banned." The Indian National Congress, Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, former prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati have demanded a ban on Bajrang Dal and Sri Rama Sena. In this regard, Deve Gowda sent a letter to prime minister and accused Bajrang Dal "for perpetrating senseless violence" against minorities in Karnataka and
Odisha Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by ar ...
. On 5 October 2008, the NCM recommended a ban on the Bajrang Dal and VHP for its alleged role in the attacks on Christian institutions in Karnataka. However, the ruling state government has the Minority commission's recommendations and does not support this suggestion. On 5 October 2008, the Indian Prime Minister called a special cabinet meeting to discuss a possible ban on the Bajrang Dal and the VHP over the continuing attacks on Christians and Christian institutions in
Odisha Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by ar ...
and
Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
. Bajrang Dal, and its Odisha president Pratap Chandra Sarangi have been alleged to have links with the Graham Staines murder case. However, no proof has been established for the allegations.


List of presidents


See also

* Babu Bajrangi * Pratap Chandra Sarangi * Dara Singh (Bajrang Dal) * 2001 Odisha Assembly attack *
Hindu terrorism Hindu terrorism, or sometimes Hindutva terror, or metonymically saffron terror, refer to terrorist acts carried out, on the basis of motivations in broad association with Hindu nationalism or Hindutva. The phenomenon became a topic of conte ...


References


Further reading

*


External links

* {{Sangh Parivar Vishva Hindu Parishad 1984 establishments in Delhi Sangh Parivar Hinduism and politics Far-right politics in India Militant Hindu groups Anti-Muslim violence in India Youth organizations established in 1984 Organisations based in Delhi Anti-communist organizations in India Anti-Christian sentiment in India Anti-Western sentiment Incitement to genocide by the Hindutva movement