A video showing a group of people offering Namaz at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport has gone viral on social media, sparking a political row in Karnataka. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized the incident, questioning how such an act was allowed inside a high-security zone of the airport.
BJP spokesperson Vijay Prasad demanded clarification from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and IT Minister Priyank Kharge, alleging that the Congress government had permitted the act. He claimed that the prayers were performed inside Terminal 2 (T2) of the airport.
Raising questions over protocol and permission, Vijay Prasad asked whether the individuals involved had obtained prior approval to offer prayers at the airport. He compared the situation with that of RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) activities, saying, “Why is it that the government objects when the RSS conducts Patha Sanchalana after obtaining due permission from the concerned authorities, but turns a blind eye to such activities in a restricted public area?”
The BJP leader also shared pictures and videos of the incident on social media, calling it a serious security concern in such a sensitive area. “Does this not pose a serious security concern in such a sensitive zone?” he asked, accusing the Congress government of indulging in appeasement politics.
What did CM Siddaramaiah say?
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on November 9, has said that the recent government directive requiring prior permission for private organizations to conduct events in public spaces — such as schools, colleges, or government premises — was not targeted specifically at the RSS.
Speaking to the media, Siddaramaiah said, “Nowhere in the order have we mentioned RSS. Any organization that wants to hold a program must seek permission from district authorities. If they assume it’s about the RSS, what can we do?”
