Bajrang Dal workers attempt to ‘purify’ DC office in Shivamogga

Members of right-wing outfit Bajrang Dal on Monday tried to purify the deputy commissioner’s office in Shivamogga by sprinkling ‘gomutra’ on the building. However, the police foiled their bid.

The outfit workers’ action comes after a Muslim youth gave Azaan call by climbing up DC’s office on Friday during protest against former minister KS Eshwarappa’s statement on Azaan during a programme in Mangaluru.

The statement of Eshwarappa triggered protests by the Muslim community across the state.

Hundreds of people from the Muslim community staged a protest against Eshwarappa’s statement in front of DCs office and the video clip of the Muslim youth who recited Azaan went viral in social media. The police who were present immediately made him to climb down and he was released after a warning. The community leaders who addressed the gathering also made provocative speech that they would also give Azaan call at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, the Hindu outfits strongly protested the provocative speech, assembled in front of DCs office and tried to sprinkle cow urine in an effort to purify the spot. However, the police snatched the bottle of gomutra and foiled their bid. This led to an altercation between the workers and the police.

‘’The Bajrang Dal workers attempted to purify the spot where the muslim youth stood and gave Azaan call. The police who were present at the point snatched away the bottle and foiled their attempt,” Jayanagara police inspector Gajendrappa told HT. He said no untoward incident was reported today and police kept a vigil and made tight security arrangements across the city.

Meanwhile, former minister Eshwarappa defended his statement and condemned the incident at the DC office. ‘’The Azaan call is causing noise pollution and obstructing students who are studying for examinations,” former minister Eshwarappa told reporters.

The minister alleged that the person who gave Azaan call is an SDPI member and called it an act of sedition, urging the police to take stringent action against the accused.

The police, meanwhile, let him go by booking him under section CrPC 107. He said he would write a letter to union home minister in this regard.