| formation = {{Start date and years ago|df=yes|p=y|1984|10|08}} (Uttar Pradesh)
| formation = {{start date and age|1984|10|08|df=y}}
| purpose = [[Militant]]<ref name="militant" /> [[youth wing]] of [[Vishva Hindu Parishad]]
| founder = [[Vinay Katiyar]]
| headquarters = [[New Delhi]], [[India]]
| founding_location = [[Ayodhya]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India
| region_served = [[India]]
| type = [[Hindu nationalism|Hindu nationalist]] youth organisation
| language = [[Hindi language|Hindi]]
| headquarters = [[New Delhi]], India
| leader_title = Head
| key_people = Neeraj Doneria (National Convenor)
| leader_name = [[Neeraj Doneria]]
| parent_organisation = [[Vishva Hindu Parishad]] (VHP)
| parent_organisation = [[Vishva Hindu Parishad]]
| affiliations = [[Sangh Parivar]]
| affiliation = [[Sangh Parivar]]
| website = {{url|https://vhp.org/bajrang_dal/}}
}}
}}
{{Islamophobia}}
The '''Bajrang Dal''' ({{translation|Brigade of [[Hanuman]]}})<ref name="Eko 2016" /> is a [[Hindu nationalist]] [[militant]]{{refn|name=militant|<ref name="Eko 2016">{{cite book |last1=Eko |first1=Lyombe |title=The Regulation of Sex-Themed Visual Imagery: From Clay Tablets to Tablet Computers |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |date=April 29, 2016 |isbn=978-1-137-55098-9 |pages=77–86 |chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303441330 |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9781137550989 |url-access=limited |access-date=17 February 2021 |via=[[ResearchGate]] |doi=10.1057/9781137550989_6 |language=en |chapter=Regulation of Sex-Themed Visual Imagery in India |quote=The Bajrang Dal (the Brigade of Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god) is a militant, Hindu nationalist organization in India. It is famous for its cow protection activities (i.e., saving cows, which are considered sacred in Hinduism, from slaughter).}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Valiani |first1=Arafaat A. |title=Militant publics in India: Physical culture and violence in the making of a modern polity |date=November 11, 2011 |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |location=New York, NY |isbn=978-0-230-37063-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_XLHAAAAQBAJ |page=180 |accessdate=17 February 2021 |url-access=limited|via=[[Google Books]] |quote=In 2002, almost 2,000 Muslims were killed in carefully planned attacks by the VHP and the Bajrang Dal. The state was governed by the BJP in 2002, and some BJP representatives brazenly justified and abetted the violence.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Parashar |first1=Swati |title=Women and Militant Wars: The politics of injury |date=March 5, 2014 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-1-134-11606-5 |page=27 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YoH8AgAAQBAJ |access-date=13 February 2021 |language=en |via=[[Google Books]] |url-access=limited |quote=The Sangh Parivar (literally known as the Sangh family) includes groups such as the Rashtriye Swayamsewak Sangh, the Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. They articulate a militant Hindu nationalist politics, opposing the Muslim 'other'.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Alter |first1=Joseph S. |authorlink=Joseph Alter |title=Somatic Nationalism: Indian Wrestling and Militant Hinduism |journal=[[Modern Asian Studies]] |date=1994 |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=557–588 |doi=10.1017/S0026749X00011860 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/313044 |url-access=subscription |access-date=13 February 2021 |issn=0026-749X |via=[[JSTOR]] |jstor=313044 |s2cid=146291615 |quote=It would be anathema for the leaders of such militant groups as the RSS, Shiva Sena, and Bajrang Dal, to let a Muslim 'voice' speak to the issue of what is lacking among Hindus, much less turn—even nominally—to an Islamic model of civility to define the terms of Hindu self development.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Anand |first1=Dibyesh |title=Anxious Sexualities: Masculinity, Nationalism and Violence |journal=[[British Journal of Politics and International Relations]] |date=May 2007 |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=257–269 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-856x.2007.00282.x |s2cid=143765766 |url=https://www.academia.edu/25169782 |access-date=13 February 2021 |via=[[Academia.edu]] |quote=Amrish Ji, a leader of a militant organisation ''Bajrang Dal'', in a public speech accused Muslims of treating {{'}}''Bharat Mata''{{'}} ('Mother India') as a {{'}}''dayan''{{'}} ('witch') (Amrish Ji 2005).}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Jerryson |first1=Michael |title=Religious Violence Today: Faith and Conflict in the Modern World |date=July 15, 2020 |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |isbn=978-1-4408-5991-5 |page=275 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pfjtDwAAQBAJ |access-date=13 February 2021 |via=[[Google Books]]|language=en |url-access=limited |quote=The magazine ''Tehelka'' carried out a six-month undercover investigation in 2007 that resulted in video evidence that the riots were organized and supported by Gujarat police and Chief Minister Modi. The video also implicated several members of the Bajrang Dal (a militant Hindu nationalist group) and the BJP (one of India's main political parties).}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XAO3i_gS61wC|url-access=limited|title=Religion, Caste, and Politics in India|last=Jaffrelot|first=Christophe|authorlink=Christophe Jaffrelot|date=2010|publisher=Primus Books|isbn=9789380607047|language=en|via=[[Google Books]]|accessdate=17 February 2021|quote=In May–June, the VHP provided itself with an organization, which assembled young Hindu militants, the Bajrang Dal. Its founder, Vinay Katiyar, had until then been a ''pracharak'' of the RSS. However, the Bajrang Dal proved to be less disciplined than the RSS and its violent utterances as well as actions were to precipitate many communal riots.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RxuJCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT119|page=119|url-access=limited|title=State and Civil Society under Siege: Hindutva, Security and Militarism in India|last1=Joshy|first1=P. M.|last2=Seethi|first2=K. M.|date=15 September 2015|publisher=[[SAGE Publishing|SAGE]]|isbn=9789351503835|language=en|via=[[Google Books]]|accessdate=17 February 2021|quote=Perhaps the most recent and controversial one emerged in the Sangh family is Bajrang Dal. The VHP was instrumental in the creation of the Bajrang Dal, which is a militant organisation based on the ideology of Hindutva.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jEUdPqYQjhoC&pg=PA47|title=Contesting the Nation: Religion, Community, and the Politics of Democracy in India|last=Ludden|first=David|date=1996-04-01|publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania Press]]|isbn=0812215850|page=47|language=en|url-access=limited|via=[[Google Books]]|accessdate=17 February 2021|quote=Conspicuous in all coverage of the Rath Yatra were young men holding primitive weapons like bows and tridents. Here it was the young militants of the youth wing of the VHP, the Bajrang Dal, who challenged the BJP elders.}}</ref><ref name="Katju 2003">{{cite book|first=Manjari|last=Katju|title=Vishva Hindu Parishad and Indian Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b70nKb-8YuMC&pg=PA52|year=2003|publisher=[[Orient Blackswan]]|isbn=978-81-250-2476-7|page=52|url-access=limited|via=[[Google Books]]|accessdate=17 February 2021|quote=The local-level activism involving the Bajrang Dal took different forms, ranging from a visible presence and participation in public rituals like Durga pooja and Dussehera, to socio-religious policing. Its aggressive participation in the Ayodhya dispute as a subsidiary of the VHP brought it forward as a militant organisation.}}</ref><ref name="Wilkinson 2005">{{cite book|first=Steven|last=Wilkinson|title=Religious Politics and Communal Violence|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ARCnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA155|url-access=limited|year=2005|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|page=310|isbn=978-0-19-567237-4|via=[[Google Books]]|accessdate=17 February 2021|quote=In the summer of 1984, Vinay Katiya, an RSS pracharak, formed the Bajrang Dal in Uttar Pradesh as a militant youth wing of the VHP, with the intention of recruiting young underemployed men from the lower castes for militant and daring action in conjunction with the ensuing battle for the Hindu nation that the VHP envisaged.}}</ref><ref name="Dossani & Rowen 2005">{{cite book|first=Robert L. Jr.|last=Hardgrave|editor-first1=Rafiq|editor-last1=Dossani|editor-first2=Henry S.|editor-last2=Rowen|editor-link2=Harry Rowen|title=Prospects for Peace in South Asia|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TwO9zmj6aQ0C&pg=PA202|chapter-url-access=limited|year=2005|publisher=[[Stanford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-8047-5085-1|page=202|chapter=Hindu Nationalism and the BJP: Transforming Religion and Politics in India|via=[[Google Books]]|accessdate=17 February 2021|quote=Construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya might remain the focus of the VHP, but the destruction of the mosque and the violence that followed alarmed many among the BJP's middle-class supporters. Fearing both alienation of major segments in its base of support and domination by the increasingly militant VHP and Bajrang Dal, the BJP once again shifted emphasis in its strategies of pragmatism and mobilization.}}</ref><ref name="Modernizing Democracy">{{cite book|first1=Terry F.|last1=Buss|first2=F. Stevens|last2=Redburn|first3=Kristina|last3=Guo|title=Modernizing Democracy: Innovations in Citizen Participation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vsQ5H0225YkC&pg=PA296|year=2006|publisher=[[M. E. Sharpe]]|isbn=978-0-7656-2180-1|page=296|url-access=limited|accessdate=17 February 2021|via=[[Google Books]]|quote=Bajrang Dal. Militant youth organization associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.}}</ref><ref name="Hinduism and Law">{{cite book|first1=Timothy|last1=Lubin|first2=Donald R. Jr.|last2=Davis|first3=Jayanth K.|last3=Krishnan|title=Hinduism and Law: An Introduction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MtuhClbfL7EC&pg=PA236|date=21 October 2010|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|isbn=978-1-139-49358-1|page=236|via=[[Google Books]]|quote=The Bajrang Dal is the militant youth wing of the VHP and was formed in 1984.}}</ref><ref name="Bauman 2015">{{cite book|first=Chad M.|last=Bauman|title=Pentecostals, Proselytization, and Anti-Christian Violence in Contemporary India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DoFxBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT15|date=2 February 2015|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19-026631-8|page=15|url-access=limited|accessdate=17 February 2021|via=[[Google Books]]|quote=The most important of these, in terms of conflict between Hindus and Christians, are the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, or ABVKA ("All-India Forest-Dweller's Welfare Center," founded in 1952), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, or VHP ("World Hindu Council," founded in 1964), the VHP's militant youth wing, the Bajrang Dal, or ("Bajrang Party," founded in 1984), and the political party that became, in 1980, the Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP ("Indian People's Party").}}</ref><ref name="Basu 2015">{{cite book|first=Amrita|last=Basu|authorlink=Amrita Basu|title=Violent Conjunctures in Democratic India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TTrjCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA164|date=30 June 2015|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|isbn=978-1-107-08963-1|page=164|url-access=limited|accessdate=17 February 2021|via=[[Google Books]]|quote=There was an unprecedented convergence of forces that heightened Hindu nationalist militancy and violence: an active RSS presence within civil society; high levels of coordination between the RSS, VHP, BJP, and militant Bajrang Dal; a cohesive political party; a BJP state government with ties to the bureaucracy and law enforcement agencies; and an NDA government at the center.}}</ref><ref name="Mankekar 1999">{{cite book|first=Purnima|last=Mankekar|title=Screening Culture, Viewing Politics: An Ethnography of Television, Womanhood, and Nation in Postcolonial India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fZf8wmVdpaIC&pg=PA179|year=1999|publisher=[[Duke University Press]]|isbn=0-8223-2390-7|page=179|url-access=limited|via=[[Google Books]]|accessdate=17 February 2021|quote=Militant organizations such as the Bajrang Dal, with its loyal following among the lumpen proletariat, further widened the class base of right-wing organizations such as the Bharatiya Janata Party, traditionally a stronghold of the urban petite bourgeoisie.}}</ref><ref name="Kochanek & Hardgrave 2007">{{cite book|first1=Stanley A.|last1=Kochanek|first2=Robert L.|last2=Hardgrave|title=India: Government and Politics in a Developing Nation|date=30 January 2007|publisher=[[Cengage Learning]]|isbn=978-0-495-00749-4|page=206|quote=Distinct from both the RSS and the VHP, the militant Bajrang Dal has been closely associated with the VHP in the movement to "liberate" Hindu holy shrines at Ayodhya and other sites where mosques now stand. The Dal is one of many senas, the armed gangs that have been described as the face of Hindu fascism.}}</ref><ref name="HRW 2003">{{cite book|chapter=India|chapter-url=https://www.hrw.org/legacy/wr2k3/pdf/india.pdf|title=Human Rights Watch World Report, 2003|url=https://www.hrw.org/legacy/wr2k3/|year=2003|publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]]|isbn=978-1-56432-285-2|page=237|accessdate=17 February 2021|quote=The groups most directly responsible for this violence against Muslims included the VHP, the Bajrang Dal (the militant youth wing of the VHP), and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Corps, RSS), collectively forming the ''sangh parivar'' (or "family" of Hindu nationalist groups).}}</ref><ref name="BBC_2016">{{cite news |title=Inside a far-right Hindu 'self defence' training camp |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-36415080 |access-date=15 December 2020 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=1 June 2016 |quote=They are conducted by the Bajrang Dal, a militant Hindu organisation that traces its origins from the days of the infamous Babri Mosque demolition movement in the temple town of Ayodhya.}}</ref>}} organisation that forms the [[youth wing]] of the [[Vishva Hindu Parishad]] (VHP). It is a member of the [[right-wing]] [[Sangh Parivar]].<ref>See:
* {{cite book|author= Chetan Bhatt|title= Hindu Nationalism: Origins, Ideologies and Modern Myths|url= https://archive.org/details/hindunationalism00chet|url-access= registration|publisher= [[Berg Publishers|Berg]]|year= 2001|page= [https://archive.org/details/hindunationalism00chet/page/199 199]|isbn= 978-1-85973-348-6 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book|title=Education and Religion: Global Pressures, Local Responses|year=2013|author1=Keith Watson|author2=William I. Ozanne|publisher=Routledge|page=101|quote=Bajrang Dal, the paramilitary youth wing |ref=none}}
* {{cite book|title=Development and Dispossession in the Narmada Valley|first=Judith|last=Whitehead|publisher=Pearson|page=166|quote=Vishwa Hindu Parishad, its cultural organization, and the Bajrang Dal, the paramilitary youth wing|isbn=9789332506503|year=2010 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book|title=The RSS and the BJP: A Division of Labour|quote= 'paramilitary wing' of the VHP: 'Bajrang Dal|author=Abdul Gafoor Abdul Majeed Noorani|publisher=LeftWord Books|year=2000 |ref=none}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ETl-AgAAQBAJ|title=Sexuality, Health and Human Rights|author1=Sonia Corrêa|author1-link=Sonia Corrêa|author2=Rosalind Petchesky|author2-link=Rosalind P. Petchesky|author3=Richard Parker|author3-link=Richard G. Parker (anthropologist)|publisher=Routledge|date=2008|isbn=9781134266661|pages=348|language=en|quote=Bajrang Dal(the paramilitary wing of the VHP) |ref=none}}</ref> The ideology of the organisation is based on [[Hindutva]].<ref name="Anand 2007">{{cite journal|last=Anand|first=Dibyesh|title=Anxious sexualities: Masculinity, nationalism and violence|journal=The British Journal of Politics & International Relations|date=2007|volume=9|issue=2|pages=257–269|doi=10.1111/j.1467-856x.2007.00282.x|s2cid=143765766}}<!--|access-date=22 March 2014--></ref><ref name="TOI/"> {{cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-09-30/india/27934677_1_bajrang-dal-prayer-halls-orissa-and-karnataka|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021220153/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-09-30/india/27934677_1_bajrang-dal-prayer-halls-orissa-and-karnataka|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 October 2012|title=Bajrang Dal: The militant face of the saffron family?|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=2008-09-30|first1=Rajeev|last1=Deshpande|date=30 September 2008}}</ref> It was founded on 1 October 1984 in [[Uttar Pradesh]], and began spreading more in the 2010s throughout India,<ref name="bajrangdalban1992">{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/dal-vs-state/|title=Dal v state|date=3 September 2015}}</ref> although its most significant base remains the northern and central portions of the country.
The group runs about 2,500 [[Akhara|akhada]]s, similar to the shakhas (branches) of the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]]. The name "Bajrang" is a reference to the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] 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 Mandir|Ram Mandir temple]] at the site of [[Ram Janmabhoomi]] in [[Ayodhya]] and the [[Krishna Janmasthan Temple Complex|Krishna Janmabhoomi]] temple in [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]], and also to expand the [[Kashi Vishwanath Temple|Kashi Vishwanath temple]] in [[Varanasi]], which are currently disputed places of worship. The Bajrang Dal opposes [[Muslim]] demographic growth,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Anand |first1=Dibyesh |title=Hindu Nationalism in India and the Politics of Fear |date=26 October 2011 |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |isbn=978-0-230-33954-5 |language=en}}</ref> [[Christian conversion]],<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fernandes |first1=Leela |title=Unsettled Territories: State, Civil Society, and the Politics of Religious Conversion in India |journal=Politics and Religion |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |date=April 2011 |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=108–135 |doi=10.1017/S1755048310000490 |s2cid=144982565 |url=https://www.academia.edu/12142142 |access-date=16 February 2021| via=[[Academia.edu]]}}</ref> [[cow slaughter]], and western influence in Hindu culture.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ahuja |first1=Juhi |chapter=Protecting holy cows |title=Vigilantism against Migrants and Minorities |date=18 October 2019 |pages=55–68 |doi=10.4324/9780429485619-4 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=9780429485619 |s2cid=213324283 |url=https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/23655/9781138493803_text.pdf |via=[[OAPEN]] |access-date=16 February 2021}}</ref>
==Ideology and agenda==
[[File:Bajrang Dal Aloysius.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Bajrang Dal members protesting at St. Aloysius College, Mangaluru|Bajrang Dal members protesting at [[St. Aloysius College, Mangaluru]]]]
Bajrang Dal is a [[right-wing]] organisation.<ref>{{cite news |title="Will Be Beaten": Right-Wing Group's Christmas Threat For Hindus In Assam |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/will-be-beaten-right-wing-groups-christmas-threat-for-hindus-in-assam-2334606 |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=NDTV.com |date=5 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="Facebook_Scroll">{{cite news |author=Scroll Staff |title=Facebook did not ban Bajrang Dal due to concern for employees' safety, business prospects: Report |url=https://scroll.in/latest/981158/facebook-did-not-ban-bajrang-dal-due-to-concern-for-employees-safety-business-prospects-report |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=Scroll.in |date=14 December 2021}}</ref><ref name="Deccan Facebook">{{cite news |title=Why Facebook is on the fence about banning Bajrang Dal |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/why-facebook-is-on-the-fence-about-banning-bajrang-dal-927238.html |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=Deccan Herald |date=14 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> 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 stated that Islamic terrorists are hiding among the general population in India and mean to expose them.<ref>[http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct312006/district17225420061030.asp Terror:VHP plans awareness jatha],''Deccan Herald''</ref> 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]].<ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20021021/ldh1.htm#6 Bajrang Dal launches campaign],''The Tribune''</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Three get death for Akshardham attack |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-07-02/india/27826849_1_akshardham-temple-adam-suleman-ajmeri-pota-court |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021220148/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-07-02/india/27826849_1_akshardham-temple-adam-suleman-ajmeri-pota-court |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 October 2012 |date= 2 June 2006 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=2008-08-04 }}</ref> Bajrang Dal shares the VHP's position against [[cow slaughter]] and has supported proposals for banning it.<ref>[http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr192005/district1941312005418.asp Cow slaughter: Bajrang Dal dubs Forum’s stand anti-Hindu],''Deccan Herald''</ref> The [[Gujarat]] branch is at the forefront of anti-beauty contest agitation. Another of its objectives is preventing [[Hindu]]-Muslim marriages.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.india-today.com/itoday/08021999/cover3.html|title=Cover Story: Bajrang Dal: Loonies at Large|work=india-today.com|access-date=25 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122060101/http://www.india-today.com/itoday/08021999/cover3.html|archive-date=22 November 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Social media presence==
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.<ref name="Facebook_Scroll" /><ref name="Deccan Facebook" /><ref name="Social Quint">{{cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Sonal |last2=Goel |first2=Kritika |title=Hate & Misinformation – Inside Bajrang Dal Pages on Facebook |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/webqoof/how-fb-groups-pages-spread-hate-in-the-name-of-bajrang-dal |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=TheQuint |date=20 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Purnell |first1=Jeff Horwitz and Newley |title=WSJ News Exclusive, In India, Facebook Fears Crackdown on Hate Groups Could Backfire on Its Staff |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-india-facebook-fears-crackdwon-on-hate-groups-could-backfire-on-its-staff-11607871600 |access-date=14 December 2020 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=13 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Facebook Went Soft On Bajrang Dal To Protect Business, Staff: Report |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/facebook-went-soft-on-bajrang-dal-to-protect-business-staff-report-2338157 |access-date=14 December 2020 |work=NDTV.com |date=14 December 2020}}</ref>
==Controversies and criticism==
Bajrang Dal was banned in 1992 by the [[Rao ministry|Rao government]] following the demolition of the [[Babri Masjid]], but the ban was revoked one year later.<ref name="bajrangdalban1992"/> [[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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6a84b4.html|title=Politics by Other Means: Attacks Against Christians in India|website=Refworld|language=en|access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref> According to HRW, Bajrang Dal had been involved in riots against Muslims [[2002 Gujarat riots|in Gujarat in 2002]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=India: "We Have No Orders to Save You" - State Participation and Complicity in Communal Violence in Gujarat|url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/india/|access-date=2021-10-17|website=[[Human Rights Watch]]}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-03-19|title=Opinion / News Analysis : Malegaon: the road to perdition|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/09/stories/2006090907431100.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070319194647/http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/09/stories/2006090907431100.htm|archive-date=19 March 2007|access-date=2021-10-17|website=The Hindu}}</ref> Those arrested told interrogators they wanted to avenge several blasts across the country.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-03-08|title=Malegaon blasts: Is it Bajrang or Lashkar? - Times Of India|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-09-09/india/27825421_1_malegaon-blasts-serial-blasts-anti-terrorism-squad|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308234552/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-09-09/india/27825421_1_malegaon-blasts-serial-blasts-anti-terrorism-squad|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-03-08|access-date=2021-10-17}}</ref> [[New Delhi Television Limited]] (NDTV) subsequently accused the police of a coverup in Nanded.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NDTV.com|url=https://www.ndtv.com/|access-date=2021-10-17|website=www.ndtv.com|language=en}}</ref> 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,<ref>[http://www.pucl.org/Topics/Religion-communalism/2006/nanded.htm A report on bomb blast at the house of prominent RSS activist in Nanded, Maharashtra] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083128/http://www.pucl.org/Topics/Religion-communalism/2006/nanded.htm |date=24 September 2015 }},''pucl.org''</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Joseph|first=Josy|date=2006-09-10|title=Security agencies pursue Bajrang Dal, Bangla links to Malegaon|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-security-agencies-pursue-bajrang-dal-bangla-links-to-malegaon-1052080|access-date=2021-10-17|website=DNA India|language=en}}</ref> on 24 August 2008 in [[Kanpur]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2008-08-28|title=Bajrang Dal plotted 'revenge blasts' in Kanpur: UP police|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/bajrang-dal-plotted-revenge-blasts-in-kanpur-up-police/|access-date=2021-10-17|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20071228083551/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/04/14/stories/2003041404280100.htm Togadia defies ban, distributes tridents]}},''The Hindu''</ref>
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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2106/stories/20040326004301700.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025083024/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2106/stories/20040326004301700.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=25 October 2007|title=Organised intolerance|work=hinduonnet.com}}</ref>
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 gruesome crime.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/bajrang-dal-cadres-storm-press-meet-on-rape-victims/story-QhmcaXuag3HPpEVF5awBJN.html|title=Bajrang Dal cadres storm press meet on rape victims|date=6 June 2006|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> In April 2017, Bajrang Dal goons issued threats of rape and acid attacks against Assam based activist [[Bondita Acharya]] for condemning arrests of 3 people for possession of beef.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/rights/bondita-acharya-beef-bajrang-dal|title=Assam: Activist Threatened With Rape, Acid Attacks For Condemning Beef Arrests|website=The Wire}}</ref>
On several occasions, acting as "Social Police", the activists of Bajrang Dal have harassed un-married couples on [[Valentine's Day]] and forced them to apply [[sindoor]] or tie [[Raksha Bandhan|rakhis]] against their wishes. The activists have often indulged in violence, invading gift shops and restaurants and threatening couples on Valentines Day.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-02-15/india/27749916_1_bajrang-dal-moral-police-saffron-brigade | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021235439/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-02-15/india/27749916_1_bajrang-dal-moral-police-saffron-brigade | url-status=dead | archive-date=21 October 2012 | first1=Suchandana | last1=Gupta | work=[[The Times of India]] | title=On V-Day, Bajrang Dal men force couple to get 'married' | date=15 February 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/feb/14vday.htm |title=Sena, Bajrang Dal act spoilers on Valentine's Day |work=Rediff.com |date=31 December 2004 |access-date=2012-11-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/15/stories/2008021553680500.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220075907/http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/15/stories/2008021553680500.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=20 February 2008 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Bajrang Dal protests against Valentine's Day | date=15 February 2008}}</ref>
In September 2008, a fresh [[Karnataka religious violence|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]] 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]].<ref>[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/Christians_Sangh_Parivars_new_target/articleshow/3505720.cms Christians: The Sangh Parivar's new target] The Economic Times – 20 September 2008</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080066428 BJP, Dal talk in two voices over Karnataka] NDTV – 23 September 2008</ref>
On 24 January 2009, members of Sri Ram Sene, a Bajrang Dal affiliate, attacked young men and women after dragged them out [[2009 Mangalore pub attack|of a pub in Mangalore]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Other Country: Dispatches from the Mofussil|page=107|publisher=penguin|author=Mr̥ṇāla Pāṇḍe}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Mangalore_pub_attack_17_held_Ram_Sena_unapologetic/rssarticleshow/4033613.cms|title=Mangalore pub attack: 17 held, Ram Sena unapologetic|publisher=Indiatimes.com|access-date=3 February 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mangalore-pub-row-sri-ram-sene-men-get-bail/84145-3.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203084206/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mangalore-pub-row-sri-ram-sene-men-get-bail/84145-3.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 February 2009|title=Mangalore pub row: Sri Ram Sene men get bail|publisher=ibnlive.com|access-date=3 February 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/02/stories/2009020259730600.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206133603/http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/02/stories/2009020259730600.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 February 2009|title=Mangalore pub attack|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=3 February 2009|location=Chennai, India|date=2 February 2009}}</ref> 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]], though how the TV crew happened to be ready at the 'unannounced' attack is not known.<ref name="thaiindian">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/young-india-vents-anger-over-mangalore-incident-on-internet_100147756.html|title=Young India Vents Anger Over Mangalore Incident on Internet|access-date=29 April 2021|archive-date=30 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130064915/http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/young-india-vents-anger-over-mangalore-incident-on-internet_100147756.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bajrang Dal activists threaten couples celebrating Valentine's Day in Kanpur|url=http://www.dailyindia.com/show/424753.php|access-date=2021-10-17|website=www.dailyindia.com}}</ref>
On 2 November 2014, during the [[2014 Kiss of Love protest|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Kissing-in-public-by-married-couple-not-obscene-HC/articleshow/4066941.cms|title=Kissing in public by married couple not obscene: HC|work=The Times of India|access-date=26 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-10-31|title=Kerala High Court refuses to interfere with Kochi Kiss fest|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/kerala-high-court-refuses-to-interfere-with-kochi-kiss-fest/|access-date=2021-10-17|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 5, 2014|first=Asha|last=Prakash|title=We took kiss of love activists into custody to save their lives {|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/we-took-kiss-of-love-activists-into-custody-to-save-their-lives/articleshow/45043053.cms|access-date=2021-10-17|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>
From 2015, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have been accused of promoting and indulging in [[Cow vigilante violence in India|Cow vigilantism]], apparently targeting Muslims and lower caste Hindus, mostly [[Dalit]]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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/04/27/india-cow-protection-spurs-vigilante-violence|website=hrw.org|title=India: "Cow Protection" Spurs Vigilante Violence |date=2017-04-27|accessdate=2021-05-20}}</ref> Following the [[2016 Una flogging incident|Una Flogging incident]] in Gujarat, where 4 dalits were brutally thrashed by Bajrang Dal goons and vigilantes when they were skinning dead cow carcasses, the victims have converted to [[Dalit Buddhist movement|Buddhism]], which irked some perpetrators.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/four-dalit-men-stripped-beaten-by-cow-protection-vigilantes-in-gujarat/story-vGhVgYXeHa0h8DwIiXfqQN.html|title=Four Dalit men stripped, beaten by cow protection vigilantes in Gujarat|date=12 July 2016|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/caste/una-flogging-incident-victims-attacked-again|title=Two Years Later, Una Flogging Incident Victims Attacked Again|website=The Wire}}</ref>
The '''Bajrang Dal''' ([[Literal translation|lit.]] 'Brigade of [[Hanuman|Bajrangbali]]') is a [[Hindu nationalism|Hindu nationalist]] youth organisation in [[India]]. It is the youth wing of the [[Vishva Hindu Parishad]] (VHP) and is a constituent of the [[Sangh Parivar]], a family of Hindu nationalist organisations led by the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS).<ref name="Carnegie">{{cite web |last1=Jaffrelot |first1=Christophe |title=Dal vs State |url=https://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2015/09/dal-vs-state |website=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace |access-date=7 November 2026 |date=3 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260306060619/https://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2015/09/dal-vs-state |archive-date=2026-03-06 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="BBC_Footsoldier">{{cite news |title=India election 2019: Meeting a 'foot soldier' of the Hindu far-right |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48020301 |work=BBC News |date=25 April 2019 |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902152854/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48020301 |archive-date=2022-09-02 |url-status=live }}</ref> The organisation was founded on 8 October 1984 in [[Ayodhya]], with its initial objective being to provide security for processions related to the [[Ram Janmabhoomi]] movement.<ref name="VHP_Youth">{{cite web |title=Vishva Hindu Parishad |url=https://vhp.org/ |website=Vishva Hindu Parishad |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001206134700/http://www.vhp.org:80/ |archive-date=2000-12-06 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="IE_History">{{cite news |title=PM Modi springs to Bajrang Dal’s defence: A brief history of the ‘forever-fringe’ outfit |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-politics/bajrang-dals-a-brief-history-8589891/ |work=The Indian Express |date=3 May 2023 |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709015643/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-politics/bajrang-dals-a-brief-history-8589891/ |archive-date=2023-07-09 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Following the death of the Dalit victim and subsequent forced cremation by authorities in the [[2020 Hathras gang rape and murder|Hathras rape and murder]], Bajrang Dal was criticized for protesting in favor of the accused who belonged to the higher caste Thakurs, when expelled [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] MLA Rajveer Singh Pehelwan held a protest rally to support the accused as they belonged to the upper caste Thakur community, after they were arrested. Along with members of Bajrang Dal, the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS), and [[Karni Sena]] also attended the protest in October 2020. In April 2022, Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad activists clashed with Police Officers in Noida over the arrest of a rape accused.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.siasat.com/noida-vhp-bajrang-dal-clash-with-cops-over-arrest-of-rape-accused-2317576/|title=Noida: VHP, Bajrang Dal clash with cops over arrest of rape accused|agency=Press Trust of India|date=29 April 2022|website=The Siasat Daily}}</ref>
The Bajrang Dal describes itself as a "security ring of Hindu society" and operates with the motto "Service, Security and [[Culture]]" (''Sewa, Suraksha, [[Sanskar]]'').<ref name="BBC_Footsoldier"/><ref name="IE_History"/> Over the decades, it has expanded its agenda to include campaigns on issues such as cow protection, opposition to religious conversion, and mobilisation against what it terms "[[love jihad]]".<ref name="TheHindu_Aggressive">{{cite news |last1=Hebbar |first1=Nistula |title=Bajrang Dal {{!}} The aggressive arm of Hindutva |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bajrang-dal-the-aggressive-arm-of-hindutva/article67162932.ece |work=The Hindu |date=6 August 2023 |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230806021941/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bajrang-dal-the-aggressive-arm-of-hindutva/article67162932.ece |archive-date=2023-08-06 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Carnegie"/> The organisation has been involved in numerous controversies, and its activities have been a subject of significant debate and criticism in India.<ref name="HT_25th">{{cite news |title=Bajrang Dal turns 25 amid ban din |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/bajrang-dal-turns-25-amid-ban-din/story-OsOJYtUtHE8oR2embstUWN.html |work=Hindustan Times |date=23 September 2008 |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251211221744/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/bajrang-dal-turns-25-amid-ban-din/story-OsOJYtUtHE8oR2embstUWN.html |archive-date=2025-12-11 |url-status=live }}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theprint.in/india/we-operate-freely-now-how-hindu-groups-are-driving-ups-crackdown-on-love-jihad/574368/ |title='We step in when our women step out with Muslim men' — how UP law empowers Hindu bully groups|author=Ananya Bhardwaj|date=26 December 2020|accessdate=22 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thewire.in/communalism/fearing-love-jihad-allegations-interfaith-couple-flees-up-seeks-protection-in-delhi|title=Fearing 'Love Jihad' Allegations, Interfaith Couple Flees UP, Seeks Protection in Delhi |date=2020-12-21|accessdate=2021-05-20|website=thewire.in}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianculturalforum.in/2020/11/19/mangalsutra-goa-professor-rss-ram-puniyani/|title=Mangalsutra, patriarchy and religious nationalism|date=19 November 2020}}</ref>
==History==
The Bajrang Dal was established on 8 October 1984 in Ayodhya, during the early phases of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.<ref name="VHP_Youth"/> According to the VHP, the then [[Government of Uttar Pradesh]] had refused to provide security for a Ram-Janaki Rath Yatra. In response, the VHP mobilised youth to take on the responsibility of protecting the procession, which led to the formation of the Bajrang Dal.<ref name="IE_History"/> The organisation's name was chosen to evoke the Hindu deity Hanuman (also known as Bajrangbali), a symbol of strength and devotion. Its initial slogan was "Ram kaaj keenhe bina, mohe kahan vishram" (How can I rest without fulfilling the cause of Lord Ram).<ref name="IE_History"/>
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.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-12-05|title=Visit church on Christmas, pay a price: Bajrang Dal warns Assam Hindus|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/visit-church-on-christmas-pay-a-price-bajrang-dal-warns-assam-hindus/article33258295.ece|access-date=2021-07-08|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
The first leader of the Bajrang Dal was [[Vinay Katiyar]], a former RSS ''pracharak'' (campaigner).<ref name="Carnegie"/> In its early years, the organisation lacked the strict disciplinary structure of the RSS, with members being identified primarily by the saffron headbands bearing the name "Ram".<ref name="Carnegie"/> The Bajrang Dal played a prominent role in mobilising support for the Ram temple cause, including the ''Ram Shila Poojan'' in 1989 and the ''Kar Seva'' in Ayodhya in 1990.<ref name="TheHindu_Aggressive"/> It was at the forefront of the events leading up to the demolition of the [[Babri Masjid]] on 6 December 1992.<ref name="Carnegie"/><ref name="IE_History"/>
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.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-12-13|title=MP Mandsaur News: हिन्दू संत "संत रामपाल जी" के सत्संग में बजरंग दल के गुंडों द्वारा चलाई गईं गोलियां|url=https://news.jagatgururampalji.org/mp-mandsaur-news-sant-rampal-ji/|access-date=2021-12-14|website=SA News Channel|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-12-14|title=BJP leader shot in MP by Bajrang Dal man, dies|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bjp-leader-shot-in-mp-by-bajrang-dal-man-dies-101639429522396.html|access-date=2021-12-14|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref>
Following the demolition, the organisation was banned for a year by the [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]] government, but the ban was revoked in 1993.<ref name="Carnegie"/><ref name="TheHindu_Aggressive"/> In the post-Ayodhya period, the Bajrang Dal, under pressure from the Sangh Parivar leadership, sought to adopt a more disciplined structure. On 11 July 1993, it introduced a uniform (blue shorts, white shirt, and saffron scarf) and a training handbook aimed at instilling discipline among its members.<ref name="Carnegie"/> The organisation then broadened its focus to other issues, including sending activists to [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] and increasingly turning its attention towards Christian missionaries and Muslim communities.<ref name="Carnegie"/> In the 1990s and 2000s, the Bajrang Dal's profile rose significantly through its involvement in the [[2002 Gujarat riots|Gujarat riots of 2002]] and its campaigns of "moral policing".<ref name="HT_25th"/>
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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Surbhi |first1=Pathak |title=Bajrang Dal members booked for harassing couples on Valentine's Day in Agra |url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/bajrang-dal-members-booked-for-harassing-couples-on-valentines-day-in-agra-2436666.html |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=Zee News |agency=Press Trust of India |date=14 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bajrang Dal protests against Valentine's Day in Hyderabad |url=https://telanganatoday.com/bajrang-dal-protests-against-valentines-day-in-hyderabad |access-date=14 February 2022 |work=Telangana Today |date=12 February 2022}}</ref>
==Ideology and Objectives==
The Bajrang Dal's ideology is based on ''[[Hindutva]]'', the Hindu nationalist ideology.<ref name="DNA_Ideology">{{cite news |title=Bajrang Dal at a glance |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-bajrang-dal-at-a-glance-1196773 |work=DNA India |date=9 October 2008 |access-date=7 November 2026}}</ref> The organisation sees itself as a militant standard-bearer of the Hindu supremacist cause.<ref name="DNA_Ideology"/> VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders have often stated that Indian democracy "needs to be run by Hindu values, though all communities are welcome to live in India".<ref name="BBC_Camp">{{cite news |title=Inside a far-right Hindu 'self defence' training camp |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36415080 |work=BBC News |date=1 June 2016 |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022172650/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36415080 |archive-date=2019-10-22 |url-status=live }}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Muslim Meat Seller Attacked as Karnataka Hindutva Groups Now Train Focus on 'Halal' Meat |url=https://thewire.in/communalism/karnataka-halal-meat-muslim-hindutva |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=The Wire}}</ref>
The organisation's stated objectives revolve around three pillars: Service (''Sewa''), Security (''Suraksha''), and Culture (''Sanskar'').<ref name="IE_History"/> In practice, the organisation's "security" mandate has translated into campaigns on a range of issues. This includes cow protection, where members have been involved in vigilante actions against cattle traders and butchers.<ref name="TheHindu_Aggressive"/> It is also heavily involved in anti-conversion activities, opposing Christian missionary work, and in mobilising against "love jihad".<ref name="TheHindu_Aggressive"/><ref name="Carnegie"/> The Bajrang Dal has also engaged in "moral policing", particularly targeting public displays of affection and Valentine's Day celebrations, which it views as a Western cultural imposition.<ref name="HT_25th"/>
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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://scroll.in/latest/1030549/bilkis-bano-gangrape-11-men-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-released-from-jail|title=Bilkis Bano gangrape: 11 men sentenced to life imprisonment released from jail|date=16 August 2022|work=Scroll.in|language=en-US}}</ref> Following their release, the rapists were allegedly greeted with garlands from members of Bajrang Dal and [[Vishva Hindu Parishad]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/bilkis-bano-rape-case-vhp-greets-released-convicts-with-garlands-in-gujarat-article-93620902|title=Bilkis Bano rape case: VHP greets released convicts with garlands in Gujarat|website=TimesNow}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/latest/1033578/bilkis-bano-case-convict-opposes-petitions-in-supreme-court-challenging-his-release|title=Bilkis Bano case: Convict opposes petitions in Supreme Court challenging his release|author=Scroll Staff|website=Scroll.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/neon/gender/bilkis-bano-supreme-court-dismisses-petition-against-release-of-11-rape-murder-convicts|title=Bilkis Bano: SC Dismisses Petition Against Release Of 11 Rape-Murder Convicts}}</ref>
==Organisation and Leadership==
The Bajrang Dal is the youth wing of the VHP and operates under its guidance. It is part of the wider [[Sangh Parivar]] and is considered the most strident arm of the RSS, providing the "muscle" for the VHP's activities.<ref name="TheHindu_Aggressive"/> The organisation has a presence in multiple states across India.<ref name="TheHindu_Aggressive"/> As of 2026, the national convener of the Bajrang Dal is [[Neeraj Doneria]].<ref name="IE_Spotlight">{{cite news |title=PM speech in Karnataka to slugfest in Delhi, rare prime spotlight for Bajrang Dal now |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/bajrang-dal-spotlight-karnataka-elections-8588421/ |work=The Indian Express |date=3 May 2023 |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260507035656/https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/bajrang-dal-spotlight-karnataka-elections-8588421/ |archive-date=2026-05-07 |url-status=live }}</ref> The organisation is known to conduct training camps for its members, which have sometimes included physical conditioning and, in some cases, firearms training.<ref name="BBC_Camp"/>
On 14th February 2023, Bajrang Dal activists were accused and criticized for intimidating couples across the nation against celebrating Valentines Day, even physically attacking them.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/bajrang-dal-opposes-valentine-s-day-festivities-in-karnataka-1190500.html|title=Bajrang Dal opposes Valentines Day Festivities in Karnataka}}</ref> A few local citizens in Faridabad allegedly thrashed a few Bajrang Dal activists for attacking a couple sitting in a park, prompting police investigation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/crime/story/faridabad-married-couple-attacked-by-bajrang-dal-viral-videos-activists-valentines-day-2334921-2023-02-15|title=Faridabad locals thrash Bajrang Dal activists after they harass married couple on Valentine's Day, videos viral}}</ref>
==Activities and Campaigns==
On 16th 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thewire.in/communalism/haryana-at-second-hindu-mahapanchayat-for-monu-manesar-calls-for-anti-muslim-violence|title=Haryana: At Second 'Hindu Mahapanchayat' For Monu Manesar, Calls for Anti-Muslim Violence}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.altnews.in/bhiwani-killings-while-bajrang-dal-denies-role-at-least-two-accused-have-strong-ties-with-the-outfit/|title=Bhiwani killings: While Bajrang Dal denies role, at least two accused have strong ties with the outfit}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/bhiwani-deaths-raj-cops-in-jind-outfits-say-will-not-allow-arrests/articleshow/98195079.cms?from=mdr|title=Gau rakshaks attacked cousins in Rajasthan jungle night before death in Bhiwani|website=[[The Times of India]] }}</ref>
===Cow Protection and Vigilantism===
The Bajrang Dal has been closely associated with cow protection movements in India.<ref name="BBC_Footsoldier"/> Members have frequently been accused of acting as cow vigilantes, intercepting trucks transporting cattle, and attacking individuals they suspect of cow slaughter or smuggling.<ref name="HRW_Cow">{{cite web |title=Violent Cow Protection in India: Vigilante Groups Attack Minorities |url=https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/02/19/violent-cow-protection-india/vigilante-groups-attack-minorities |website=Human Rights Watch |date=19 February 2019 |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707210442/https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/02/19/violent-cow-protection-india/vigilante-groups-attack-minorities |archive-date=2023-07-07 |url-status=live }}</ref> These actions have sometimes led to outbreaks of communal violence and have been heavily criticized by human rights groups and minority communities.<ref name="TheWire_Cow">{{cite news |title='We Are Always Guilty Because We Are Muslims': Gujarat’s Cow Laws Are Pushing a Community into Poverty |url=https://thewire.in/communalism/we-are-always-guilty-because-we-are-muslims-gujarats-cow-laws-are-pushing-a-community-into-poverty |work=The Wire |date=11 April 2026 |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260615041536/https://thewire.in/communalism/we-are-always-guilty-because-we-are-muslims-gujarats-cow-laws-are-pushing-a-community-into-poverty |archive-date=2026-06-15 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="NationalHerald_Cow">{{cite news |title=The extortion rackets of cow vigilantes |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/the-extortion-rackets-of-cow-vigilantes |work=National Herald |date=14 February 2026 |access-date=7 November 2026}}</ref>
== Reception ==
===Anti-Conversion and "Love Jihad"===
The [[US State Department]]'s 2000 report on international religious freedom and 2000 World Report by the [[Human Rights Watch]] labelled this organisation as a Hindu extremist group.<ref name="ARIRR">{{cite book
The Bajrang Dal is a leading proponent of the "anti-conversion" and "love jihad" narratives. It has campaigned against Christian missionary activities, accusing them of forced or fraudulent conversions.<ref name="Wire_Conversion">{{cite news |title=After Bajrang Dal, VHP Complaint, Christian Pastors Booked Under Rajasthan’s New Anti-Conversion Law |url=https://thewire.in/communalism/after-bajrang-dal-vhp-complaint-christian-pastors-booked-under-rajasthans-new-anti-conversion-law |work=The Wire |date=23 November 2025 |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260815113015/https://thewire.in/communalism/after-bajrang-dal-vhp-complaint-christian-pastors-booked-under-rajasthans-new-anti-conversion-law |archive-date=2026-08-15 |url-status=live }}</ref> The organisation frequently organises "re-conversion" ceremonies (''[[Ghar Wapsi]]'') for Christians and Muslims who wish to return to [[Hinduism]]. Its campaigns against "love jihad" involve monitoring and sometimes disrupting relationships between Hindu women and Muslim men, claiming to protect the honour of Hindu women.<ref name="Carnegie"/><ref name="TheHindu_Aggressive"/> These activities have drawn sharp criticism for promoting communal polarisation and infringing on personal freedoms.
|author= Barbara Larkin
|title= Annual Report on International Religious Freedom 2000
}}</ref> The US [[Central Intelligence Agency]] classified the Bajrang Dal and the VHP as religious militant organisations in the "India" entry of ''[[The World Factbook]]'' on 4 June 2018,<ref name="TOI CIA">{{cite news |author1=Rohan Dua |title=VHP a militant religious outfit, RSS nationalist: CIA factbook |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/vhp-a-militant-religious-outfit-rss-nationalist-cia-factbook/articleshow/64594295.cms |access-date=19 August 2020 |work=The Times of India|date=15 June 2018 |quote=US' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has classified VHP and Bajrang Dal as "militant religious outfits" and called RSS a nationalist organisation.}}</ref><ref name="Tribune CIA">[http://www.tribuneindia.com/mobi/news/nation/cia-calls-vhp-bajrang-dal-religious-militant-organisations/605756.html CIA calls VHP, Bajrang Dal ‘religious militant organisations’], The Tribune, 15 June 2018.</ref> but removed the mentions of the Bajrang Dal and the VHP from the entry by 25 June 2018.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reddy |first1=Akhil |title=Older version of CIA's World Factbook listed Bajrang Dal and VHP as 'militant religious organisation' |url=https://factly.in/older-version-of-cias-world-factbook-listed-bajrang-dal-and-vhp-as-militant-religious-organisation/ |website=Factly |access-date=2 April 2021 |date=24 February 2021}}</ref>
The group has also been called "terrorist", with [[:no:Torkel Brekke|Torkel Brekke]] referring to it as the "best known among the terrorist groups controlled by the RSS".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Brekke|first=Torkel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JGooYIEd9h4C&dq=%22RSS%22+%22hatred%22+inpublisher:%22university+press%22&pg=PA124|title=Fundamentalism: Prophecy and Protest in an Age of Globalization|date=26 December 2011|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-50429-4|pages=124|language=en|quote=Through its strict, centralized, and authoritarian organiza-tion, the RSS controls a host of sister organizations devoted to the infusion of Hindu culture and values in different spheres of Indian society. The other side of this strategy of Hinduization is the aggressive stance against minorities who do not fit into the vision of Hindu society. The RSS and its leaders have always been motivated by hatred against Muslims and Christians, and they have created several terrorist organizations devoted to attacking members of these minority groups in different parts of India. Best known among the terrorist groups controlled by the RSS is the Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the VHP, which specializes in violence against Muslims and Christians and has been involved in large-scale atrocities in India.}}</ref> [[Paul Brass]] described the Bajrang Dal as Indian equivalent of [[Nazi Germany]]'s [[Sturmabteilung]].<ref name="TITCRCV">{{cite book
===Moral Policing===
|author= Paul R. Brass
The Bajrang Dal has been known to engage in moral policing, particularly around [[Valentine's Day]]. Members have disrupted celebrations, publicly shamed couples, and demanded that women adhere to traditional codes of conduct.<ref name="HT_25th"/><ref name="BBC_Footsoldier"/> The group views such public displays of affection as a threat to Indian culture and traditions.<ref name="TheHindu_Aggressive"/>
|title= Theft of an Idol: Text and Context in the Representation of Collective Violence
|publisher= [[Princeton University Press]]
|year= 1997
|page= 17
|isbn= 0-691-02650-5
}}</ref>
Former Indian Prime Minister [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] has called Bajrang Dal an embarrassment to the BJP and urged [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS) to "rein them in".<ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020429/nation.htm#1 Rein in Parivar outfits, PM tells RSS],''The Tribune''</ref> After the [[religious violence in Odisha]], the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] [[Prime Minister of India|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 [[United Progressive Alliance|UPA]] government in [[Delhi]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081007111857/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081004/jsp/nation/story_9926821.jsp Bajrang deaf to BJP sermon] The Telegraph, Calcutta – 3 October 2008</ref>
===Social Welfare (Sewa)===
Despite its controversial activities, the Bajrang Dal also engages in charitable and relief work, which it categorises under "Sewa" (service). This includes organising blood donation camps, disaster relief during floods and earthquakes, and running small-scale community kitchens.<ref name="VHP_Youth"/> During the [[COVID-19 pandemic in India|COVID-19 pandemic]], the organisation was involved in distributing food and essential supplies to vulnerable communities.<ref name="TOI_Covid">{{cite news |title=UP: RSS, VHP join BJP bid to offer succour to migrants |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/up-rss-vhp-join-bjp-bid-to-offer-succour-to-migrants/articleshow/76106153.cms |work=The Times of India |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722065513/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/up-rss-vhp-join-bjp-bid-to-offer-succour-to-migrants/articleshow/76106153.cms |archive-date=2025-07-22 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Demand for ban==
==Controversies and Bans==
The Bajrang Dal has been involved in several major controversies and has faced repeated calls for a ban. The [[Government of India]] banned the organisation for a year in 1992 following the Babri Masjid demolition.<ref name="Carnegie"/>
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".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=466509&sid=NAT|title=Zee News: Latest News Headlines, Current Live Breaking News from India & World|work=zeenews.com}}</ref> Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said, "Those outfits involved in terrorist activity should be investigated, the question is why Bajrang Dal should not be banned".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-08-30/india/27898346_1_bajrang-dal-congress-demands-ban-simi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021235449/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-08-30/india/27898346_1_bajrang-dal-congress-demands-ban-simi|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-10-21|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Congress demands ban on Bajrang Dal}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Muslim-cleric-demands-ban-on-Bajrang-Dal/353369/|title=Muslim cleric demands ban on Bajrang Dal}}</ref>
In its manifesto for the 2023 Karnataka assembly election, the [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] promised decisive action, including a ban, against organisations such as the Bajrang Dal and the [[Popular Front of India]] (PFI); after a backlash, Congress leaders said there was no proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal.<ref name="IE_Spotlight"/> The decision was highly polarising and became a major issue in the [[Karnataka]] elections. The organisation has also been accused of instigating violence and riots in various parts of the country, including during the 2002 [[Gujarat]] riots and the 2020 [[Delhi]] riots.<ref name="Carnegie"/><ref name="TheHindu_Aggressive"/>
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.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/30/stories/2008083061311300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080902110434/http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/30/stories/2008083061311300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 September 2008|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|title=Call for immediate ban on Bajrang Dal, VHP|date=30 August 2008}}</ref>
The organisation has expanded into new regions in the 2020s. In [[Goa]], where it was launched in 2021, it grew to a presence in about 150 villages, and in 2025 the transfer of a South Goa superintendent of police was linked in reports to her seeking intelligence inputs on its members.<ref name="ThePrint_Goa">{{cite news |title=A senior police officer's controversial transfer puts spotlight on rise of the Bajrang Dal in Goa |url=https://theprint.in/politics/a-senior-police-officers-controversial-transfer-puts-spotlight-on-rise-of-the-bajrang-dal-in-goa/2469183/ |work=ThePrint |access-date=7 November 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130065642/https://theprint.in/politics/a-senior-police-officers-controversial-transfer-puts-spotlight-on-rise-of-the-bajrang-dal-in-goa/2469183/ |archive-date=2025-01-30 |url-status=live }}</ref>
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."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=466488&sid=REG|title=Zee News: Latest News Headlines, Current Live Breaking News from India & World|work=zeenews.com}}</ref>
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]].<ref>[http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=223444 Gowda, Maya demand ban on Bajrang Dal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217001736/http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=223444 |date=17 February 2009 }} The Times of India, 22 September 2008</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080922112921/http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/20/stories/2008092055961300.htm Paswan seeks ban on Bajrang Dal, VHP] The Hindu, 20 September 2008</ref><ref>[http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14762651 Congress seeks ban on VHP, Bajrang Dal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220143412/http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14762651 |date=20 February 2009 }} Sify News, 20 September 2008</ref>
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.<ref>[http://www.ibnlive.com/news/ban-bajrang-dal-says-national-minorities-panel/75102-3.html Ban Bajrang Dal, says national minorities panel] CNN-IBN, 6 October 2008</ref> However, the ruling state government has<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/sep/26karna.htm?zcc=rl|title=BJP flays minorities panel report on Karnataka|work=rediff.com}}</ref> 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 [[Anti-Christian violence in India|continuing attacks on Christians]] and Christian institutions in [[Religious violence in Odisha|Odisha]] and [[Anti-Christian violence in Karnataka|Karnataka]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081201101639/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081005/jsp/nation/story_9930126.jsp Cabinet to discuss Bajrang, VHP ban] The Telegraph</ref>
Bajrang Dal, and its Odisha president [[Pratap Chandra Sarangi]] have been alleged to have links with the [[Graham Staines|Graham Staines murder case]]. However, no proof has been established for the allegations.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bajrang-dal-minister-battles-staines-controversy/cid/1691621 |title=Bajrang Dal Minister Fights Staines Controversy|work=The Telegraph| access-date=2019-08-15}}</ref>
==List of presidents==
{| class="wikitable"
!S. No.
!Name
!Term
|-
|1.
|[[Vinay Katiyar]]
|
|-
|2.
|[[Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya]]
|
|-
|3.
|[[Suresh Jain]]
|
|-
|4.
|Prakash Sharma
|
|-
|5.
|[[Subash Chouhan]]
|
|-
|6.
|Rajesh Pandey
|
|}
==See also==
* [[Babu Bajrangi]]
* [[Pratap Chandra Sarangi]]
* [[Dara Singh (Bajrang Dal)]]
* [[2001 Odisha Assembly attack]]
* [[2006 Mangalore riots]]
==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist}}
==Further reading==
*{{cite magazine |title=The Rise of a Hindu Vigilante in the Age of WhatsApp and Modi |url=https://www.wired.com/story/indias-frightening-descent-social-media-terror/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired magazine]]}}
The Bajrang Dal describes itself as a "security ring of Hindu society" and operates with the motto "Service, Security and Culture" (Sewa, Suraksha, Sanskar).[2][4] Over the decades, it has expanded its agenda to include campaigns on issues such as cow protection, opposition to religious conversion, and mobilisation against what it terms "love jihad".[5][1] The organisation has been involved in numerous controversies, and its activities have been a subject of significant debate and criticism in India.[6]
The Bajrang Dal was established on 8 October 1984 in Ayodhya, during the early phases of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.[3] According to the VHP, the then Government of Uttar Pradesh had refused to provide security for a Ram-Janaki Rath Yatra. In response, the VHP mobilised youth to take on the responsibility of protecting the procession, which led to the formation of the Bajrang Dal.[4] The organisation's name was chosen to evoke the Hindu deity Hanuman (also known as Bajrangbali), a symbol of strength and devotion. Its initial slogan was "Ram kaaj keenhe bina, mohe kahan vishram" (How can I rest without fulfilling the cause of Lord Ram).[4]
The first leader of the Bajrang Dal was Vinay Katiyar, a former RSS pracharak (campaigner).[1] In its early years, the organisation lacked the strict disciplinary structure of the RSS, with members being identified primarily by the saffron headbands bearing the name "Ram".[1] The Bajrang Dal played a prominent role in mobilising support for the Ram temple cause, including the Ram Shila Poojan in 1989 and the Kar Seva in Ayodhya in 1990.[5] It was at the forefront of the events leading up to the demolition of the Babri Masjid on 6 December 1992.[1][4]
Following the demolition, the organisation was banned for a year by the P. V. Narasimha Rao government, but the ban was revoked in 1993.[1][5] In the post-Ayodhya period, the Bajrang Dal, under pressure from the Sangh Parivar leadership, sought to adopt a more disciplined structure. On 11 July 1993, it introduced a uniform (blue shorts, white shirt, and saffron scarf) and a training handbook aimed at instilling discipline among its members.[1] The organisation then broadened its focus to other issues, including sending activists to Jammu and Kashmir and increasingly turning its attention towards Christian missionaries and Muslim communities.[1] In the 1990s and 2000s, the Bajrang Dal's profile rose significantly through its involvement in the Gujarat riots of 2002 and its campaigns of "moral policing".[6]
The Bajrang Dal's ideology is based on Hindutva, the Hindu nationalist ideology.[7] The organisation sees itself as a militant standard-bearer of the Hindu supremacist cause.[7] VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders have often stated that Indian democracy "needs to be run by Hindu values, though all communities are welcome to live in India".[8]
The organisation's stated objectives revolve around three pillars: Service (Sewa), Security (Suraksha), and Culture (Sanskar).[4] In practice, the organisation's "security" mandate has translated into campaigns on a range of issues. This includes cow protection, where members have been involved in vigilante actions against cattle traders and butchers.[5] It is also heavily involved in anti-conversion activities, opposing Christian missionary work, and in mobilising against "love jihad".[5][1] The Bajrang Dal has also engaged in "moral policing", particularly targeting public displays of affection and Valentine's Day celebrations, which it views as a Western cultural imposition.[6]
The Bajrang Dal is the youth wing of the VHP and operates under its guidance. It is part of the wider Sangh Parivar and is considered the most strident arm of the RSS, providing the "muscle" for the VHP's activities.[5] The organisation has a presence in multiple states across India.[5] As of 2026, the national convener of the Bajrang Dal is Neeraj Doneria.[9] The organisation is known to conduct training camps for its members, which have sometimes included physical conditioning and, in some cases, firearms training.[8]
The Bajrang Dal has been closely associated with cow protection movements in India.[2] Members have frequently been accused of acting as cow vigilantes, intercepting trucks transporting cattle, and attacking individuals they suspect of cow slaughter or smuggling.[10] These actions have sometimes led to outbreaks of communal violence and have been heavily criticized by human rights groups and minority communities.[11][12]
The Bajrang Dal is a leading proponent of the "anti-conversion" and "love jihad" narratives. It has campaigned against Christian missionary activities, accusing them of forced or fraudulent conversions.[13] The organisation frequently organises "re-conversion" ceremonies (Ghar Wapsi) for Christians and Muslims who wish to return to Hinduism. Its campaigns against "love jihad" involve monitoring and sometimes disrupting relationships between Hindu women and Muslim men, claiming to protect the honour of Hindu women.[1][5] These activities have drawn sharp criticism for promoting communal polarisation and infringing on personal freedoms.
The Bajrang Dal has been known to engage in moral policing, particularly around Valentine's Day. Members have disrupted celebrations, publicly shamed couples, and demanded that women adhere to traditional codes of conduct.[6][2] The group views such public displays of affection as a threat to Indian culture and traditions.[5]
Despite its controversial activities, the Bajrang Dal also engages in charitable and relief work, which it categorises under "Sewa" (service). This includes organising blood donation camps, disaster relief during floods and earthquakes, and running small-scale community kitchens.[3] During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organisation was involved in distributing food and essential supplies to vulnerable communities.[14]
The Bajrang Dal has been involved in several major controversies and has faced repeated calls for a ban. The Government of India banned the organisation for a year in 1992 following the Babri Masjid demolition.[1]
In its manifesto for the 2023 Karnataka assembly election, the Congress promised decisive action, including a ban, against organisations such as the Bajrang Dal and the Popular Front of India (PFI); after a backlash, Congress leaders said there was no proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal.[9] The decision was highly polarising and became a major issue in the Karnataka elections. The organisation has also been accused of instigating violence and riots in various parts of the country, including during the 2002 Gujarat riots and the 2020 Delhi riots.[1][5]
The organisation has expanded into new regions in the 2020s. In Goa, where it was launched in 2021, it grew to a presence in about 150 villages, and in 2025 the transfer of a South Goa superintendent of police was linked in reports to her seeking intelligence inputs on its members.[15]
