Bajrang Dal

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Bajrang Dal is a right-wing organisation.[7][8][9] Among the goals of the Bajrang Dal in modern India is a reversing of the Islamic Invasions and British imperialism. They include demands to convert historical monuments currently disputed into temples.[10] The organisation asserts on its website that they are neither communal or divisive. In particular, they say[11]

"The Bajrang Dal is not against any religion. It acknowledges respecting the faith of other people, but expects and asserts for a similar respect of the Hindu Sentiments. Being Hindu, the Bajrang Dal believes in validity of all Religions and Respect for all human beings, irrespective of caste, color, and religion (Aatmasvat Sarva Bhuteshu). It is for this purpose that the Bajrang Dal has undertaken various public-awakening campaigns. It does not believe in violence or any unlawful activity."

In addition, Bajrang Dal said they would circulate five million handbills, giving details about the activities of Christian missionaries. National convenor Surendra Kumar Jain said the outfit would peacefully expose what he described as questionable means adopted by some Christian bodies to convert poor people under a world evangelical plan that specially targeted Hindu-majority India.[12]

Bajrang Dal, together with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has spoken out against Islamic terrorism in India and have announced that they will carry out awareness campaigns across the nation. They have stated that Islamic terrorists are hiding among the general population in India and mean to expose them.[13] Convener Prakash Sharma stressed that they were not targeting any particular community, but were trying to "wake up" the people of India, particularly it's 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.[14][15]

Bajrang Dal shares the VHP's position against cow slaughter and has supported proposals for banning it.[16] The Gujarat branch is at the forefront of anti-beauty contest agitation. Another of its objectives is preventing Hindu-Muslim marriages.[17] The organisation claims to work towards eradicating social evils like dowry and untouchability.

The US Central Intelligence Agency has classified VHP and Bajrang Dal as religious militant organizations.[1][18]

Bajrang Dal is active on social media. Facebook'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.[8][9][19] 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 (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 newspaper wrote, reaffirming its reportage earlier this year on the subject.[20][21]

• 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.[6]
• Human Rights Watch (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.[22]
• According to HRW, Bajrang Dal had been involved in riots against Muslims in in Gujarat in 2002.[23]
• In April 2006, two Bajrang Dal activists were killed in Nanded in the process of bomb making. The same group of activists were also suspected of perpetrating the 2003 Parbhani mosque blasts.[24] Those arrested told interrogators they wanted to avenge several blasts across the country.[25] New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) subsequently accused the police of a coverup in Nanded.[26] 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,[27][28] and on 24 August 2008 in Kanpur.[29]
• 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 would be fought on the issue of tridents and attacked the ruling Indian National Congress Party for "placating" Muslims for electoral gains. He expressed satisfaction at the publicity received due to the incident.[30]
• 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.[31]
• On several occasions, acting as "Social Police" the activists of Bajrang Dal have caught un-married couples on Valentine's Day and forced them to apply sindoor or tie rakhis against their wishes. The activists have often indulged in violence, invading gift shops and restaurants and threatening couples on Valentines Day.[32][33][34]
• 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 against 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 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.[35] However, some police reports claim that the Bajrang Dal was not involved per se and that the attacks were carried out by splinter groups. However, testimonies of their activists show exactly the opposite, as they described the attacks and openly warned of more violence.[36]
• 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. "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.[37]

The United States Department of State's annual report on international religious freedom for 2000 and World Report (2000) by the Human Rights Watch labelled this organisation as a Hindu extremist group.[38][39] Paul R. Brass, Professor Emeritus of Political Science and South Asian Studies at the University of Washington, described the Bajrang Dal as Indian equivalent of Nazi Germany's Sturmabteilung.[40]

Bajrang Dal has also received criticism from other Hindu nationalist organisations such as the Hindu Mahasabha. Bajrang Dal has been criticised for adopting the same violent methods as the Islamic fundamentalists in their attempt to curb the spread of Islamic terrorism, a move deemed by the Mahasabha to be counterproductive.[41] In addition, the Bharatiya Janata Party member and former prime minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee have also come out in criticism of Bajrang Dal. Vajpayee said that the Bajrang Dal "only embarrassed the BJP" and urged the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to "rein them in".[42] After the religious violence in Odisha, the Bharatiya Janata Party 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.[43]

• Though there were no demands for ban till recently, there is a lot of demand for a ban from the ruling Congress which is accused by the opposition of minority appeasement, and also from different minority groups including the government owned National Commission for Minorities (NCM). However, the ruling government decided not to impose a ban due to a fear of lack of evidence.[44] In addition, India's National Security Advisor also suggested that a ban on Bajrang Dal is not sustainable.[45]
• In September 2008, the Indian National Congress (INC) demanded a ban on the Bajrang Dal and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (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".[46] Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said, "Those outfits involved in terrorist activity should be investigated, the question is why Bajrang Dal should not be banned".[47] 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.[48]
• 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.[49]
• 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."[50]
• 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.[51][52][53]
• 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.[54] However, the ruling state government has[55] 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 and Karnataka.[56]
• 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.[57]

• Vinay Katiyar
• Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya
• Surendra Jain
• Prakash Sharma
• Subash Chouhan
• Rajesh Pandey

• Babu Bajrangi
• Pratap Chandra Sarangi
• Dara Singh (Bajrang Dal)
• 2001 Odisha Assembly attack
• 2006 Mangalore riots

• "The Rise of a Hindu Vigilante in the Age of WhatsApp and Modi". Wired magazine.

• Official website
• Human Rights report Watch referring on the role of the Bajrang Dal in the 2002 Gujarat Riots