Bengaluru cops file FIR against BJP leaders Tejasvi Surya, Shobha Karandlaje for protesting over shopkeeper assault case

Around 41 people have been named in the FIR, including BJP MPs Tejasvi Surya and PC Mohan, as well as Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje.

Published on: Mar 22, 2024, 15:46:08 IST

By Yamini C S

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The Bengaluru police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for participating in a protest in Bengaluru over the controversial altercation between a shopkeeper and a group of men for allegedly playing the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ during ‘Azaan’ time.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya and Shobha Karandlaje participated in the protest after the shopkeeper's assault case, and were detained later by police. (PTI Photo)

As many as 41 people are named in the FIR filed by the Halasuru Gate police, including BJP MPs Tejasvi Surya and PC Mohan, as well as Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, all of whom have been nominated by the saffron party to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

The leaders have been booked under sections 143, 149, 188, 283, 290 and 268, news agency ANI reported.

ALSO READ | FIR against Union minister Shobha Karandlaje after DMK's complaint to ECI

The incident occurred on Sunday when a group of men thrashed a shopkeeper for playing the Hindu devotional bhajan "at a high volume" during ‘Azaan’ time. Cops have arrested three people in connection with the assault. A video of the incident was shared widely on social media, which triggered outrage among the public and a political slugfest as well.

People thronged the streets to protest the issue on Tuesday, waving saffron flags and raising “Jai Shree Ram” slogans. BJP leaders Karandlaje and Surya also joined the protest along with several others in Bengaluru's Siddanna Layout, and both were detained later by the police.

ALSO READ | ‘Arrest us all, open challenge…’: Union Min Shobha Karandlaje slams Cong over shopkeeper assault case

The BJP also strongly condemned the incident and accused the ruling Congress government in the state of appeasement.

Tejaswi Surya attacked the Siddaramaiah-led government and said, "The government speaks of building brand Bengaluru. I want to ask the CM and the Deputy CM. You speak of building brand Bengaluru. How can you do so with this kind of a law and order situation? What happened to Mukesh yesterday could happen to any person sitting and going to his business honestly in a calm, unprovoked manner anywhere in the city. Two weeks ago there was a bomb blast. A week before that there were Pakistan Zindabad slogans. And today you have these unprovoked attacks on shopkeepers. What message is this government trying to give?" Surya said.

ALSO READ | Tejasvi Surya detained during protest over ‘bhajan’ vs ‘azaan’ altercation

"Why is it that whenever the Congress party comes to power, elements like these who want to create disturbance and disharmony in society, why do they feel emboldened? And why is it that cabinet ministers like Dinesh Gundu Rao come in the defense of the accused and do not stand up for the victim's justice?" He added.

(With inputs from ANI)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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