KSE remark: Outfit protests with azaan outside DC office

NT Correspondent

Shivamogga / Dakshina Kannada: The impact of an off the cuff remark made by former minister KS Eshwarappa in Mangaluru city nearly a week ago was felt in Shivamogga on Sunday as a Muslim outfit staged a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s (DC’s) office.

One protesting youth even went on to recite the azaan, the call for prayer, at the venue, which led to a preventive case against him. Moreover, he was warned by the police to not repeat such behaviour again. The demonstration was led by Jamiat Ulema-eHind (JUH) Committee.

Eshwarappa while addressing a crowd had said: “Wherever I go, it (azaan) is a headache for me. There is a Supreme Court judgement. It’ll be stopped today or tomorrow. I say this clearly in a public function. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that every religion should be respected. Can Allah hear it only if you shout it through a mike? We also do pooja in our temples. We recite shlokas. Our women read bhajans. We are more devout than them,'' to raucous applause and hooting at the BJP’s Vijay Sankalp Yatra.

Some Congress leaders had opposed the speech. About a week later, Muslim protesters gathered outside the DC office in Eshwarappa’s constituency Shivamogga.

Meanwhile, Bajrang Dal members have demanded that the youth who gave the azaan outside the government building be arrested. The controversy took on a political hue again with JD(S) legislature party leader squarely laying the blame on BJP leaders for what he saw as an attempt to stoke communal passions.

“This is a very sensitive issue. BJP is responsible for such issues gaining traction in the state. Along with this, miscreants from another religion are also a party to this,” he said, adding that Eshwarappa and other BJP leaders who make provocative speeches should have cases registered against them.