'Hanuman Chalisa vs Azaan': Karnataka police on high alert

Bengaluru, May 9: Karnataka Police is on high alert after Hindu activists launched chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa against Azaan across the state on Monday.

Sri Ram Sena founder Pramod Muthalik inaugurated the programme at a temple in Mysuru district at 5 a.m. He claimed that the chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa and 'Suprabhata' (morning) prayers were performed at more than 1,000 temples against Azaan in mosques.

The police have taken activists into custody who were all set to launch the Hanuman Chalisa chanting at a temple in Bengaluru. It has beefed up the security throughout the state as the issue could trigger communal clashes. Muthalik has announced that activists will intensify their prayer campaign at temples in coming days.

He had questioned the "government's helplessness to take action against Azaan, which is against the constitution and law".

"Patients, students are troubled by the Azaan offered early in the morning. Congress has made Muslims to feel that they are above the law. Congress has also created fear of Muslims. Law must be upheld and no one is above law," he claimed.

Activists started devotional prayers and raised slogans of 'Jai Sri Ram', 'Jai Hanuman' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. They started their prayers at 5 a.m. across the state and completed at 6 a.m.

Situation in Karnataka, which was slowly coming out of the social unrest after a series of incidents following the hijab crisis, Bajrang Dal activists' murder and Hubballi communal violence, is again getting tensed.