The Bengaluru police Tuesday detained BJP MP Tejasvi Surya and Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shobha Karandlaje and other BJP workers during a protest held in support of a shopkeeper who was allegedly assaulted for playing Hanuman Chalisa during Azaan (the Islamic call for prayer). Several pro-Hindu outfits staged the protest in the narrow streets of Nagarathpet, affecting business at the trade hub. The protests were held after Mukesh, owner of Krishna Telecom, was allegedly assaulted for playing loud music on March 17. A police officer said more than 40 people, including Tejasvi Surya and Shobha Karandlaje, have been taken into preventive custody. While the BJP alleged that Mukesh was targeted for playing Hanuman Chalisa during Azaan, in the complaint, Mukesh said he was attacked for playing loud music which caused disturbance. However, speaking to the media later, Mukesh had said, "I was playing Hanuman Chalisa songs and some local people were offended. They threatened to destroy my office if I played music loudly during Azan time. When I told them that it was not Azan time, they dragged me out and assaulted me." Bengaluru city police commissioner B Dayananda said five persons were arrested in connection with the attack on Mukesh. “Police arrested three persons – Suleman, Shahnavaz and Rohith – on Monday and two persons– , Tarun and Jahid— on Tuesday. Further probe is underway,” he said. A police officer from Halasuru Gate police station said Mukesh, in his complaint, alleged that he was playing some Hindi song loud and was questioned by the accused. When he confronted them stating that it is his freedom to play songs in his shop, he was attacked, the officer said, citing the complaint. However, the police said that Mukesh gave a different statement to the media later, alleging that he was attacked for playing Hanuman Chalisa at the time of Azaan. Meanwhile, the BJP and Congress have continued to trade barbs over the incident. Tejasvi Surya wrote on X: "(State minister) Dinesh Gundu Rao knows more about the incident than the victim himself. There must be a limit to appeasement and hypocrisy. For once, show the spine to stand up for justice." Hitting back, State Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao wrote on X: "As usual @Tejasvi_Surya tries to spread hatred. The boys who have attacked the Hindu shopkeeper are both Hindus and Muslims. Why will Hindus attack a Hindu shopkeeper over Azaan. Who has said that Hanuman Chalisa was being played? What makes you jump to the conclusion that it was a fight over Azaan Vs Bhajan? Whatever the fight was all about, the people who acted wrongly should be punished, but it’s shameful to see this young leader from #BJP indulging in gutter and cheap politics." Halasuru gate police registered a case under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (criminal intimidation), 504 (provocation), and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), among others. An FIR has been registered against Suleman, Shahnavaz, Rohith, Dyanish, Tarun and others.
