Minister objects to ‘azaan’, caretaker says will sort out
LUCKNOW: Hours after Uttar Pradesh minister Anand Swaroop Shukla wrote a letter to the Ballia district magistrate Aditi Singh, seeking regulating the volume of loudspeakers from mosques, the official said there were court orders in this regard which would be followed.
“The Supreme Court, High Court and the state government have from time to time issued directives regarding use and norms of loudspeakers at all public places and instructions have been regularly issued in that regard to police and officials of administration,” the Ballia DM said.
Asked if she proposed to take any action on the basis of the minister’s letter, Singh said, “All complaints that are received are looked into.”
In its May 2020 order the Allahabad High Court had said the azaan or the call for prayer may be an integral part of Islam but its amplification cannot be said to be integral to the religion, warranting protection of the fundamental right enshrined under Article 25 of the Constitution.
It was not immediately clear about how Ballia DM proposed to move ahead on the issue, but the minister was categorical that the high decibel levels during azaan (call for prayers) from loudspeakers put up in mosques affected his concentration while he performed his religious rituals in the morning and also in discharge of his official duties.
Shukla, a junior minister in Yogi Adityanath government looking after parliamentary affairs, rural development and integrated rural development ministries, confirmed having written to the DM on the issue.
“There are directions that the court has issued from time to time and those should be followed,” he said while flagging how high decibel levels were causing health concerns to the elderly, affecting studies in schools besides affecting his concentration during his morning prayers. He singled out Madina mosque at Kajipura whose loudspeakers he said caused lot of disturbance.
Mohd Ayub Qureshi, the caretaker of Madina mosque said, they would remove the four loudspeakers if they were causing problems to people or the minister. “Ours is an old mosque and loudspeakers are used during azaan. So far there was no issue but if someone has any issue, we will sort it out and if need be, remove the loudspeaker,” he said.
An employee of the district magistrate’s office said though no action has so far been taken, the matter flagged by the minister was being evaluated.
The minister’s view on loudspeakers from mosque, came days after Allahabad University (AU) vice chancellor Sangita Srivastava too flagged similar concerns about loudspeaker from Lal Masjid, a mosque near AU, disturbing her sleep.
Kaleem-ur-Rehman, the caretaker of the mosque said they had lowered the volume of the loudspeaker and direction of one of them had been changed.
Khalid Rasheed Firangi mahal, the naib imam of Lucknow Eidgah and a senior functionary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said everyone should respect court orders.
“As far as court orders are concerned, they apply to all, there is no scope for being selective and all must respect it. As far as azaan is concerned, it’s hardly two to three minutes affair and if somewhere the decibels levels were higher, the matter can be sorted locally without making it sound political,” he said.
The AIMPLB functionary, however, said use of loudspeakers from mosque should be limited to ‘azaan’ and Friday prayers. “Any other use of loudspeakers should be discouraged and there was no need for several loudspeakers in a mosque,” the senior cleric added.
The minister had in his complaint also mentioned that the loudspeakers were being used for making various announcements from mosque like seeking donations, other religious activities.
“In fact, during Ramzan too, we will issue appeals against using loudspeakers for making announcement about timing of fasting,” the senior cleric said.
Only recently, the Karnataka State Board of Wakf restricted the management of mosques and dargahs (mausoleums) from using loudspeakers between 10 pm and 6 am.