"BJP on verge of losing Parliament members so they are..." Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 19 : Reacting to the BJP's protest against the Karnataka government over a shopkeeper being attacked for playing devotional music, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar hit out at the BJP on Tuesday, and said that the BJP is on the verge of losing the state's Parliament members, so they are just trying to communalise the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
DK Shivakumar said, "The BJP is on the verge of losing the state's parliament members. So, they are just trying to communalise things. It will not happen. They are just trying to create confusion. A very strong, progressive government is there. They are not able to digest it."
Earlier, BJP members held a protest in Bengaluru this morning following an altercation between a group of people and a shopkeeper during 'Azaan' time on Sunday. The protesters demanded the arrest of the accused, who were involved in the altercation.
The altercation occurred on March 17 when a shopkeeper played devotional songs near Siddanna Layout.
A protesting member, Ramesh Kumar said that two to three people have been arrested, and till the other three are not arrested, protest will continue.
The shopkeeper who was attacked by a group of men for playing devotional songs in Bengaluru said, "If something serious had happened to me in the incident that happened on Sunday, who would have been answerable? It feels good that people have come here to support me."
Police arrive at the Siddanna Layout, in Bengaluru where people were protesting after the altercation between a group of people and a shopkeeper during 'Azaan' time.
Karnataka BJP MP, Tejaswi Surya who led the protests, was detained by the Karnataka police amid the chaos. Upon his detention, he urged the protesters to disperse.
Highlighting the recent incidents in Bengaluru including the Rameswaram bomb blast, Pakistan Zindabad slogans in Karnataka Assembly and the recent attack on shopkeeper Mukesh, Tejasvi Surya questioned the law and order situation in the state.
"The government speaks of building brand Bengaluru. I want to ask the CM and the Deputy CM. You speak of building brand Bengaluru. How can you do so with this kind of a law and order situation? What happened to Mukesh yesterday could happen to any person sitting and going to his business honestly in a calm, unprovoked manner anywhere in the city... Two weeks ago there was a bomb blast. A week before that there were Pakistan Zindabad slogans. And today you have these unprovoked attacks on shopkeepers. What message is this government trying to give?," Surya said.
On Sunday, during the 'Azaan' time, a shopkeeper was playing devotional songs loudly near Siddanna Layout, in Bengaluru, which led to an altercation between a group of people and the shopkeeper.
Following the incident, BJP cadre and other Hindu organizations marched across the streets of Bengaluru, chanting slogans of Jai Shree Ram and carrying saffron flags, to stand in solidarity with the shopkeeper.
Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats, out of 28, in 2019 BJP won 25 seats with a vote share of 51.7 per cent. Congress won 1 seat with a 32.1 per cent vote share, while JD(S) and Independent won one seat each in Karnataka.
The dates of the Karnataka Lok Sabha elections are set on May 4, and April 26, for 14 seats each.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into effect from March 16 after the Election Commission of India announced the dates for elections to the Lok Sabha and four state assemblies, with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar asking all political parties and their leaders to strictly adhere to the poll code.
The elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4.