AU VC’s letter on azaan draws criticism
Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah (Lko) strongly condemned AU VC’s objection to the use of loudspeakers for azaan.
PRAYAGRAJ : Allahabad University (AU) vice chancellor Prof Sangita Srivastava’s letter to top administration and police officials to get azaan through loudspeakers stopped at a mosque near her home has drawn condemnation from various quarters, including political leaders, clerics and a section of student leaders.
In her letter, the VC claimed that the early morning call for prayer from the loudspeaker was disturbing her sleep.
Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah (Lucknow) Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali said that he strongly condemned AU VC’s objection to the use of loudspeakers for azaan.
“Our country is well known all over the world for its GangaJamuni tehzeeb and social harmony. The people of the country respect each other’s religion. The call for azaan from mosques to the sound of kirtan and bhajans from temples has always resounded in the air in our cities and no one is disturbed by them. This kind of talk is meaningless. The high court’s orders are already being implemented across the state. I appeal to everyone to respect each other’s religious sentiments while following their own faiths,” he said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) state president Sunil Arkwanshi dubbed the letter a symbol of “frustrated mindset”.
“India is a country of all religions and we have the freedom to practise our religions as per our beliefs. Even our constitution gives us this freedom.
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party demands that the vice chancellor apologise and refrain from sowing seeds of hatred in the country,” he said.
Adil Hamza, former vicepresident of Allahabad University Students’ Union (AUSU), led a demonstration by a mixed group of Hindu and Muslim students in protest against the VC’s letter. He said that after marching to the district magistrate’s office, the students submitted a memorandum in this regard.
Former AU students’ union vice-president and state president of National Students Union of India (NSUI) East Akhilesh Yadav said the concept of communal harmony “lies at the very core of our country and “unfortunately” speaking against religions has “become a fad”. He demanded strict action by the government against the VC.
Meanwhile, a section of students also burnt an effigy of the VC near AU Union hall as a mark of protest.
Additional police force remained deployed near the university campus as a precaution through the day.