Bengaluru, May 2 (IANS): The Congress on Tuesday demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "comparing" Lord Hanuman to a Hindu group, Bajrang Dal.

The Congress said this after PM Modi criticised it for "assuring decisive action on Bajrang Dal and other outfits spreading hate".

Slamming the party, the Prime Minister said "the Congress had earlier kept Shri Ram in captivity (in Ayodhya before the apex court verdict) and is now trying to target Lord Hanuman by banning Bajrang Dal".

On this, Congress' Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said "Lord Hanuman depicts piousness, commitment to reverence and duty and symbolises service and sacrifice".

"To compare Lord Hanuman as synonymous to any individual or organisation is an insult, and PM Modi is hurting the feelings and sentiments of millions of devotees of Hanuman ji," Surjewala said.

"Of course, these canards were manufactured in the factory of BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh, the self-nominated Chanakya. Millions of Hanuman Bhakts will fight this with full vigour," the Congress leader said.

Surjewala further said that "the Prime Minister and co. refuse to speak about the scam-ridden '40 per cent' BJP government in Karnataka, and are merely looking for lame duck excuses to polarise the election".

"For PM Modi and BJP, each election is about divisions on the ground of religion instead of answering the basic issues of nauseating corruption, back-breaking price rise, rampant unemployment, ugly and unacceptable concentration of wealth and an all-pervading atmosphere of hate.

"The Constitution and law are clear -- any individual or organisation spreading hatred or enmity must be proceeded against in accordance with law. The duty to follow 'Raj Dharma' is of the Prime Minister and Chief Minister but they refuse to do so," he said.