45,773 loudspeakers removed across UP in statewide drive: Police

LUCKNOW: As many as 45,773 loudspeakers were removed from various places of worship during a statewide drive launched on Monday, Uttar Pradesh police said on Saturday.

“So far 45,773 loudspeakers have been removed from various religious places across the state, while the volume of 58,861 loudspeakers was reduced to permissible levels during the drive,” said Prashant Kumar, additional director general of police, law and order.

The state’s home department had on April 23 issued orders to remove loudspeakers from religious places. It had sought a compliance report by April 30 from all districts and police commissionerates on the removal of loudspeakers or reducing their volume as per directives of the state pollution control board.

The action came days after chief minister Yogi Adityanath on April 18 stressed on ensuring use of loudspeakers at religious places in such a way that it did not cause inconvenience to others.

His statement came after a row over azaan and Hanuman Chalisa recitation on loudspeakers, defying norms.

This was the first time when there was no use of loudspeakers during the alvida ki namaz (Ramzan’s last Friday prayers) in Uttar Pradesh on Friday and whichever few places they were used, the volume was within limits.

Also, this time there was no blocking of roads by the devout to offer prayers.

State authorities were on their toes in the past few days, maintaining communication with clerics and religious leaders across the state and convincing them to follow the state government’s directive related to removal or restricted use of loudspeakers, and offering of prayers within the premises of mosques.