BJP's Bengaluru Lok Sabha candidates detained over Chalisa-Azaan row

The BJP led a 'Hanuman Chalisa' procession on Tuesday in the Nagarathpete area demanding justice for a shopkeeper who was allegedly assaulted by some Muslim youths for playing the hymn during Azaan time on Sunday. During the protest, three BJP candidates for the Lok Sabha polls - Tejasvi Surya and PC Mohan, and Union minister Shobha Karandlaje - were detained by the police, along with several leaders.

Party workers and Hindutva activists led the march in a narrow lane, demanding justice for In CCTV footage of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, a group of men can be seen confronting the shopkeeper, Mukesh, and dragging him out of the shop. Mukesh has alleged that the men threatened to stab him with a knife if he kept playing the music loudly as it was time for the Azaan.

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that they have arrested five out of the six accused people in the case.


The BJP picked up on the incident, cornering the ruling Congress, with leader of opposition R Ashoka calling it yet another example of the government encouraging anti-national elements weeks after the Bengaluru cafe blast.