Life-size portraits of Lord Hanuman and some supporters dressed as the God featured in Modi’s massive road show in Bengaluru on Saturday, making it clear that the theme of the all-important last week of the election campaign has become all about the mighty ‘Bajrang Bali’. The Congress is complaining that the BJP has twisted the narrative to take it to Bajrang Bali rather than the Hindu-wing outfit ‘Bajrang Dal’ on which the Congress inexplicably proposed a ban in its manifesto that was released last Tuesday.
But the BJP says it has all the reason to invoke Lord Hanuman, with the PM chanting ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ slogan at every rally since then, especially as Lord Hanuman was born in Karnataka in the Anjanadri Hills.
In Karnataka, Lord Hanuman is referred to as Lord Anjaneya and is widely revered. In fact, a senior BJP leader pointed out to News18 that the Congress chose to make the ‘Bajrang Dal ban’ promise in a manifesto released on May 2, which was a Tuesday, the holy day of the week dedicated to Lord Hanuman.
Lord Hanuman is said to have been born in the Anjanadri hills in Koppal district in Karnataka and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the past has referred to the place as ‘Kishkinda’ as mentioned in the Ramayana. In the epic, Kishkinda was the kingdom of the vanars (monkey kingdom) where Lord Ram had first met Hanuman who helped him make the journey to Lanka where Mata Sita was held.
The saffron mascot of the BJP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has explained the connection between Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka during his rallies in the poll-bound state, saying Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya and Hanuman in Karnataka. In his Karnataka rallies on Saturday, Yogi Adityanath said Bajrang Dal was dedicated to national and social service and devoted to Lord Hanuman. “Proposing a ban on Bajrang Dal amounts to disrespecting the Hindu faith and no nationalist will tolerate this,” he has asserted.
The BJP sees this is an opportunity to realign Hindu voters who may have voted for the Congress till a week back on caste lines. The Bommai government has, in fact, been working on developing the Anjandhari Hills as a major destination and had made a Rs 100 crore provision for this in the state budget last year.
Congress state leaders such as DK Shivakumar have been quick to anticipate damage due to the ‘Bajrang Dal’ issue and has promised to construct Hanuman temples across the state after coming to power.
In the Ramayana, Lord Hanuman had shown his prowess by flying from Lanka to the Himalayas to fetch the sanjeevani booti (life-saving herb) that saved the life of Lord Lakshman who had been left camatose after a serious injury in the war. It seems the ‘Bajrang Bali’ issue has similarly enthused fresh life and enthusiasm at the right time in the BJP campaign in the state after the Congress drive had peaked by the last week of April.
Another line from the Hanuman Chalisa goes: ‘Sankat Kate Mite Sab Peeda, Jo Sumire Hanumat Balbeera’ (Lord Hanuman will take away all your troubles). BJP would certainly be hoping for the same.
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