PM Modi referenced an incident in Congress-ruled Karnataka where a shopkeeper was reportedly assaulted for playing the Hanuman Chalisa.In his latest attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti claimed that listening to Hanuman Chalisa “becomes a crime under Congress rule”. During a rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk, PM Modi claimed that the Congress, which led the Rajasthan government before the BJP returned to power last year — had banned Ram Navami in the state.
“In the rule of Congress, even listening to Hanuman Chalisa becomes a crime. Rajasthan has been its sufferer and for the first time on Ram Navami this time, ShobhaYatra procession was taken out in Rajasthan. In a state like Rajasthan where people chant Ram-Ram, Congress banned Ram Navami,” he said.
It becomes difficult to follow one’s faith under them, he added.
PM Modi then referenced an unfortunate incident in Congress-ruled Karnataka where a shopkeeper was reportedly assaulted for playing the Hanuman Chalisa.
“While talking to you today on Hanuman Jayanti, I remember a picture from a few days ago. A few days ago, in Congress-ruled Karnataka, a shopkeeper was brutally beaten up only because he was listening to Hanuman Chalisa while sitting in his shop,” PM Modi said.
In Bengaluru, a shopkeeper was reportedly assaulted by a group of men over a disagreement regarding the playing of a Hanuman Chalisa during ‘azaan’ time.
According to the police, the shopkeeper played the bhajan loudly near Siddanna Layout that led to a physical confrontation. The man claimed that the group threatened him and assaulted him for playing the Hanuman Chalisa.
“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,” the man alleged.
The BJP criticised the Congress government, citing this incident as evidence of deteriorating law and order in the state. They also accused the government of appeasing anti-national elements.
BJP leader R Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, asked, “Is Hanuman Chalisa banned in Karnataka?”
“Emboldened by the appeasement politics of Siddaramaiah, a violent muslim mob brutally attacked a Hindu Shopkeeper in Bengaluru for playing Hanuman Chalisa. After Pakistan Zindabad slogans raised in Vidhan Soudha and bomb blast in Rameshwaram Cafe, this yet another glaring example of how Congress government has let the anti-national elements capture Bengaluru leading to complete collapse of law and order,” R Ashoka said.
BJP leader PC Mohan alleged that the attack on man is “the grim reality of Congress’s ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukaan’”.
Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections last year, the Congress manifesto promised to ban the pro-Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal along with the Popular Front of India (PFI). At the time, PM Modi had claimed that the Congress wanted to lock up all those who chant “Jai Bajrangbali”.
“At a time when I have come to pay my respects in Lord Hanuman’s land, the Congress party in its manifesto has decided to lock up Bajrangbali. Earlier, they had locked up Lord Ram and now they have resolved to lock all those who chant Jai Bajrangbali,” PM Modi said at an election rally in Hospet.
The Bajrang Dal then called for chanting of Hanuman Chalisa at all temples in Karnataka. The organisation, in a media statement, said the Hindu religion was facing a big crisis and resisting the Congress moves by staying united was the only option left now, and urged Hindus to keep their differences aside and join hands to protect the dharma.
Hitting back at the PM, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said PM Modi’s comment had hurt the religious sentiments of crores of Lord Hanuman’s devotees like him.
“The Prime Minister is insulting our faith in Lord Hanuman. He should apologise to the country as he has hurt our religious sentiments. No one has given the Prime Minister the right to insult Bajrangbali,” Khera said while showing a copy of Hanuman Chalisa.
Congress leader and now Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had defended the party’s promise in the manifesto and said they were also the devotees of Lord Hanuman and he chanted Hanuman Chalisa every day. “We are also devotees of Lord Hanuman. We have only said peace should prevail and communal harmony should not be disturbed,” he said, and wondered if there was any link between Bajrang Dal and Lord Hanuman.