JOIN US'Was expressing feelings of common man': Eshwarappa justifies comment on Azaan
Senior BJP leader and former minister K S Eshwarappa, who had made a controversial statement recently on ‘azaan’ and ‘Allah’ during BJP's Vijay Sankalp Yatra at Kavoor in Mangaluru, justified it on Monday saying that he was expressing the "feelings of the common man who face inconvenience" due to the use of loudspeakers for ‘azaan’ especially during children's exams.
At the yatra, he had said, "Use of loudspeakers for Azaan is a headache wherever you go. There is a Supreme Court judgment on the use of loudspeakers. It will be stopped sooner or later. Does Allah hear prayers only with the use of loudspeakers?”
While Eshwarappa was addressing the gathering, he was interrupted by the sound of 'azaan' from a nearby mosque. After pausing, he objected to the sound of the loudspeaker.
When asked if bhajans and other religious events do not cause problems to the public, he said, "Bhajans are for 'Dharma Jagruthi' and there should be reforms in place, too, for the use of loudspeakers."
Eshwarappa, during the yatra, had said: “If a Hindu society retaliates not a single Muslim house will remain intact.”
“Our government had punished the anti-nationals. It was the BJP government that banned PFI. A situation was created where the life of Hindu youth was not valued. That is why we had taken a bold decision to ban PFI,” he said.
“We will not keep quiet if anyone comes to harm Hindus. If anyone touches our worker, then he will not remain alive. We will crush those who come and try to harm us,” he said.
Justifying his statement that BJP doesn't want Muslim votes, Eshwarappa said, “It does not mean that BJP doesn't require any Muslim vote. We do not need the votes of Muslims who support PFI and SDPI. Nationalist Muslims will support us.”
'Vijayotsava'
K S Eshwarappa alleged that it was KPCC President D K Shivakumar who inspired MLA Madal Virupakshappa to hold a 'Vijayotsava' after getting bail in a corruption case. D K Shivakumar, who was released from Tihar Jail, was taken out in a procession from the airport itself.
“What Madal Virupakshappa did was 100 per cent wrong. BJP's central and state leaders have already criticised it. But when D K Shivakumar was taken out in a procession, did any of the Congress leaders criticise it?” he asked.
Remark flayed
Coming down heavily on the remarks of the senior BJP leader, Dakshina Kannada District Muslim Okkoota president K Ashraf said: "Eshwarappa finds the sounds of religious rituals irritating. He is abusing a religion. The former minister is into issuing provocative statements. The BJP senior leaders should prevent Eshwarappa from issuing such statements.