Bajrang Punia, an Olympic medalist wrestler, caused controversy when he posted a message on Instagram supporting the right-wing organization Bajrang Dal. The message included an image of Lord Hanuman and urged users to display it as their WhatsApp status and display photo. Punia later deleted the message after receiving backlash from some social media users who view Bajrang Dal as a “militant organization.”
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned Punia, with the BJP accusing him of “apologizing for his beliefs” after he removed the message. Bajrang Dal organized demonstrations against the Congress across the nation, while the BJP associated the organization with Lord Hanuman in an attempt to isolate the opposing party in the southern state.
The Congress claimed that they had no plans to outlaw Bajrang Dal and that only the central government had the power to do so. However, if the party wins power in the state, DK Shivakumar, the head of its Karnataka section, promised to build Lord Hanuman temples there.
