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

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya was detained during a protest over the altercation when a shopkeeper was thrashed for playing a ‘Bhajan’ during ‘Azaan’ time.

A protest ensued in Karnataka capital Bengaluru over an altercation between a shopkeeper and a group of men for allegedly playing the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ during ‘Azaan’ time. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya also participated in the protest and got detained shortly after, news agency ANI reported.

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya also joined the protest in Siddanna Layout, Bengaluru. (ANI)

A video of the incident is being shared widely on social media. This triggered outrage among the public, which gathered in the city's Siddanna Layout area - where the incident first took place on Sunday - to stage a demonstration. Protestors waved saffron flags and raised “Jai Shree Ram” slogans.

A shopkeeper was beaten up by a group of men on Sunday for playing the Hindu devotional bhajan "at a high volume" during ‘Azaan’ time. The Bengaluru police have arrested three people in connection with the assault.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the incident and accused the ruling Congress government in the state of appeasement. BJP leader R Ashoka hit out at the grand old party for allegedly “failing” to maintain law and order in the state.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya also spoke on the incident earlier, writing on social media that Hindus are being disregarded as “third class citizens” in Congress' Karnataka.

"When Mukesh, the victim of today's assault by radical youth at Nagarathpete approached Bengaluru Police, a token FIR was registered with "loud music" as the cause of the attack. Unfortunately, I had to accompany Mukesh to Halasuru Gate Police Station & ensure a thorough statement was recorded, including the fact that the cause of the provocation was him playing Hanuman Chalisa. @CPBlr Sir, I urge you to ensure quick arrests & an unbiased probe," He wrote on micro-blogging site ‘X’.