The police detained 20 activists of Sri Ram Sene for singing bhajans during their agitation in protest against azaan being aired on loudspeakers in Kalaburagi on Monday.
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Sri Ram Sene had warned that it will start playing Hanuman Chalisa and bhajans on loudspeakers if the State Government did not stop playing azaan on loudspeakers at masjids. It had also set May 9 as deadline for removing loudspeakers from masjids.
As many as 20 activists of the right-wing organisation who began playing bhajan at Jagat Circle were immediately detained by the police. Siddalinga Swami, head of Andola Karuneshwar Math in Jewargi taluk and State president of Sri Ram Sene, did not participate in the agitation.
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The police tightened security by putting up heavy barricades around Mehbas Masjid in the Super Market area.
Meanwhile, the Dalit Sene and the Janata Dal (Secular) have strongly condemned Sri Ram Sene’s decision to play Hanuman Chalisa and bhajans outside mosques. Dalit Sene leader Hanumanth Yelasanghi said that Siddalinga Swami of Sri Ram Sene is trying to spread communal violence in the district.
“We have vowed to stand guard outside mosques. We will not allow Sri Ram Sene members to play bhajans outside masjids,” Mr. Yelasanghi said.
Sri Ram Sene activists, however, played bhajans at Anjaneya Temple in Santosh Colony in the city and at Karuneshwar Math in Andola of Jewargi taluk at about 5 a.m. when azaan was aired on loudspeakers.
The activists of the same organisation played Hanuman Chalisa at Padagatte Anjaneya Swamy Temple, Ashwathnarayana Katte and Chittawadagi Kalmata in Hosapete, Vijayanagara district, on Monday. Sri Rame Sene’s divisional president Sanjiv Maradi and taluk unit president Jagadish Kamatagi participated in the event. Heavy police force, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Vishwanath Rao Kulkarni, was deployed as a precautionary measure.