Rajasthan Congress lodges complaint against Adityanath for Lord Hanuman remark

The Congress Rajasthan unit has lodged a complaint against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his remark on Lord Hanuman with the Election Commission.

During a poll rally in Malakheda of Alwar district on Tuesday, the chief minister had said, "Hanuman was a forest dweller, deprived and a Dalit. Bajrang Bali worked to connect all Indian communities together, from north to south and east to west".

"This was his resolve as it was Lord Ram's wish. Just like him, we should also not rest till we fulfil that wish," Adityanath, one of the BJP' star campaigners, had said.

Congress general secretary Sushil Sharma said in a statement Thursday that a complaint has been lodged against the Uttar Pradesh chief minister with the Election Commission and Rajasthan's Chief Electoral Office.

The Congress said it fears that Adityanath's statement to call Lord Hanuman a 'Dalit' can harm communal harmony.

Such a statement in the poll-bound state is against the model code of conduct and is a punishable offence as per law, the party said.

On Wednesday, a right-wing group had served a legal notice to the UP chief minister for his remarks yesterday.

Polls in Rajasthan are due on December 7.

(With inputs from agencies.)