Karnataka police on Tuesday detained BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who had joined the protest in Bengaluru following an altercation between a group of people and a shopkeeper over playing devotional song during ‘Azaan’ time.
While he was being taken away in the police vehicle, the BJP leader asked his supporters to go back.
Surya joined the protest in Bengaluru following an altercation between a group of people and a shopkeeper during ‘Azaan’ time on Sunday near Siddanna Layout.
The incident took place on March 17 when a shopkeeper reportedly played ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ during the ‘Azaan’ time. This led to an altercation between the shopkeeper and a group of men from the minority community, who objected to the Hindu religious song being played out during the ‘Azaan’.
‘Azaan’ is the call for prayer in Islam, usually five times a day in a mosque.
The incident led to tension in the area and subsequently people form the Hindu community started holding protests. The BJP leader was detained after he joined the protesters.
Earlier in January this year, tension gripped Karnataka’s Mandya district following the removal of a saffron flag hoisted on a 108-foot flagpole installed in Keragodu village for hoisting the national flag.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leaders had criticised the Congress-led Karnataka government for what they alleged was an “anti-Hindutva” stance.
However, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah called for peace and accused the BJP of inciting communal violence in the area.