Mukesh, the owner of a Hindu store situated in Bengaluru, Karnataka, endured a brutal assault for playing the Hanuman Chalisa within his shop located near a Mosque. The incident unfolded on Jumma Masjid Road, Siddanna Galli area, on Sunday, March 17. Mukesh’s father, addressing the media, expressed distress over his son’s ordeal, stating that he was viciously attacked for simply playing Hanuman bhajans inside his own establishment.
According to reports, Bengaluru police arrested 2 more accused in the case, bringing the total number of arrests to five in the shopkeeper assault case so far.
Father Demands Justice
Gopal Singh, Mukesh’s father, recounted the horrifying incident to reporters, saying, “When I reached, I saw Mukesh soaked in blood,” demanding stringent action against the perpetrators.
“I was not present here but my son told me that he was playing devotional songs at that time. In the evening we do puja, so obviously, he must have played bhajans only. I learnt that they came to fight with him. The sound was low only, however, they beat him up. We want justice…,” added Gopal Singh, imploring for justice for his son, who fell victim to an assault by a group of Islamists due to his religious beliefs.
#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: “I was not present here but my son told me that he was playing devotional songs at that time. They had come to fight with him. The sound was low only. They beat him up. We want justice…,” says Gopal Singh, father of the shopkeeper who was attacked… pic.twitter.com/4bZvXLQocN
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2024
Attacked for Playing Bhajans
Narrating the ordeal to the media, Mukesh described how a group of local Muslims attacked him and issued threats to kill him if he didn’t cease playing Hindu devotional songs. He stated that on the evening of March 17, around six o’clock, three or four locals approached him, demanding him to stop playing Hanuman bhajans. When Mukesh refused and questioned their grievances, they cited it was time for their Azaan.
“I was playing Hanuman bhajan. 4-5 people came and said it is time for Azaan and if you play it we will beat you. They beat me and also threatened me that they would stab me with a knife,” said Mukesh.
#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: “I was playing Hanuman bhajan. 4-5 people came and said it is time for Azaan and if you play it we will beat you. They beat me and also threatened me that they would stab me with a knife,” says the shopkeeper who was attacked by a group of over five… https://t.co/0ONOXqm2Sw pic.twitter.com/QaS7joDqe8
— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2024
Despite Mukesh’s attempts to reason with them, they resorted to violence, grabbing him by the neck. When he stepped out to confront them, they physically assaulted him, threatening to stab him with a knife.
Confirming his ability to identify the perpetrators, Mukesh asserted they were Muslim youths from the vicinity.
Police Deny Communal Angle
However, the Halasuru Gate Police Station, Bengaluru, denied any communal angle to the incident. The in-charge stated, “The FIR has been registered, and three people have been arrested… There is no communal angle. It was about playing a song near the masjid.”
Earlier reports indicated a reluctance from the police to register an FIR. However, following pressure from local traders, an FIR was lodged, and an investigation commenced. CCTV footage of the incident, depicting the assailants attacking the victim outside his shop, has since gone viral, confirming the assault.
The footage captured a verbal altercation escalating into physical violence as Mukesh was dragged out of his shop and assaulted by the accused youths. Despite his attempts to defend himself, he was overpowered and knocked to the ground.
BJP holds Hanuman Chalisa Rally
In a fervent display of dissent, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organised a ‘Hanuman Chalisa Rally’ in Nagarthpet on March 19 afternoon, sparked by the purported assault on a shopkeeper just two days prior. Despite objections from the Bengaluru police, citing violations of the Model Code of Conduct, the rally pressed forward, drawing attention to the alleged incident.
#WATCH | Karnataka: People protest after an altercation occurred between a group of people and a shopkeeper during ‘Azaan’ time.
The altercation occurred on Sunday (17.03.24) when a shopkeeper played devotional songs near Siddanna Layout, in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/CdZ2YiW4xa
— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2024
The rally was led by prominent BJP figures including Tejasvi Surya (Bengaluru South), P. C. Mohan (Bengaluru Central), and Shobha Karandlaje (Bengaluru North), all of whom were subsequently detained by law enforcement and relocated to CAR Ground in Rajajinagar.
Describing the incident, Surya stated, “Yesterday evening, Mukesh, an honest and hardworking shopkeeper, was carrying out his business as usual. In the evening, he had a practice of playing devotional songs on his speaker.
“Every corner of Nagarathpete in Bengaluru should hear Hanuman Chalisa tomorrow.. rally should start from Mukesh’s shop”
MP Tejasvi Surya 🔥 pic.twitter.com/C1uHbx23LQ
— Karthik Reddy (@bykarthikreddy) March 18, 2024
Tensions escalated when BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar attempted to intervene on behalf of the protesters, resulting in his own detainment by authorities.
The protest prompted several shopkeepers in Nagarthpet to close their shutters for the day, as demonstrators echoed resounding chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and recited verses from the Hanuman Chalisa.
BJP calls it Congress’ Anti-Hindu Politics
In a swift rebuttal, BJP Members of Parliament pointed fingers at the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka, denouncing its governance as “anti-Hindu” and accusing it of perpetuating “appeasement politics” that they claim precipitated the alleged assault.
“The appeasement politics of the Siddaramaiah government has become a security risk for Hindus. It started with pro-Pakistan slogans, followed by a terror attack and now this assault,” asserted Ms. Karandlaje, underscoring the BJP’s stance on the incident.
