The Bengaluru police detained Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Tejasvi Surya on Tuesday, March 19, during a protest near Siddanna Layout by members of the right-wing affiliated groups against the assault on a Hindu shopkeeper.
On March 17, shopkeeper Mukesh was assaulted by a group of men for playing the Hanuman Chalisa (a Hindu religious song) during Azaan at a nearby mosque. The incident was captured on the shop’s CCTV camera.
After visiting the victim Mukesh, BJP MP Surya demanded an unbiased probe by the Congress-run state government.
A day before, a video of Surya emerged where he is seen encouraging the locals to send messages to others to join the protest and chant the Hanuman Chalisa in the entire Nagrathpete starting from Mukesh’s shop.
“Send messages to everyone. Tomorrow (Tuesday), we will begin our protest from Mukesh’s shop chanting the Hanuman Chalisa in the entire Nagrathpete area,” he is heard in the video.
So far, three people – Suleman, Shahanawaz and Rohith – have been arrested. Other accused named in the FIR include Dyanish and Taruna.
Shopkeeper ‘happy’ for public support
Speaking to ANI, shopkeeper Mukesh said that he was happy that people were supporting him.
“If something serious had happened to me in the incident that happened on Sunday, who would have been answerable? It feels good that people have come here to support me,” he told ANI.
