Ahead of Eid, loudspeaker politics rages in states

LUCKNOW/MUMBAI: The politics over loudspeakers at religious places, particularly mosques, gained momentum on the eve of Friday’s “Alvida ki Namaz” with close to 22,000 loudspeakers being removed in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra promising a regulation to deal with loudspeakers, and Karnataka government authorising police station chiefs to hold discussions with religious body heads on restricting their use.

Alvida ki Namaz is the last Friday prayer in the holy month of Ramzan .

The loudspeaker saga began when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray, on April 2, gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, or the Hanuman Chalisa would be read outside these mosques using loudspeakers. The issue spiralled when Amaravati independent MP,

Navneet Rana, and her MLA husband Ravi Rana, said they would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s family home. On April 23, the couple was arrested. . Here, is a look on how the issue is playing out across some key states.

Uttar Pradesh

On April 19, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath told officials to ensure that loudspeakers at religious places should not cause “inconvenience” to others, following a row over Azaan and Hanuman Chalisa recitation on loudspeakers defying the norms.

On April 23, the UP home department issued orders for removal of loudspeakers from religious places or using them within the pollution control norms.

“We welcome chief minister’s order regarding limiting the volume of the loudspeakers,” said Maulana Yasoob Abbas, a Shia cleric and general secretary All India Shia Muslim Personal Law Board (AISMB). Till Thursday, home department officials said close to 21,963 loudspeakers were removed across the state, and volume control instruments were installed in 42,332 loudspeakers, UP government officials said.

“The people have done this of their own free will,” UP Police Additional Director General (ADG), Law and Order, Prashant Kumar said on Thursday.

Karnataka

The Karnataka government has authorised police to take action against religious places and commercial establishments that don’t adhere to Noise (Pollution and Control) Regulation, 2010, of the Central Pollution Control Board.

As the first step, police has issued notices informing these places about the regulation. In Bengaluru alone, 400 notices have been issued -- of which 236 were to mosques , temples (83), churches (22), and other religious places.

Karnataka home minister Araga Gyanendra said most institutions have voluntarily reduced the volume. “We are just ensuring that everyone follows SC orders.”

The SC has ordered that no loudspeakers should be allowed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and has asked states to enforce the CPCB noise permissible levels.

Maharashtra

The state is expected to issue a fresh set of guidelines for the regulation of loudspeakers at religious places, or ask police stations for the implementation of the existing guidelines issued from time to time, officials said. The Maharashtra government held an all-party meeting to discuss regulation on use of loudspeakers. .

Former CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis chided CM Thackeray on his government’s stand. “He doesn’t take action on loudspeakers even after HC order but when ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ is played on loudspeakers, it’s seized.,” Fadnavis in first week of April.

“We will discuss the issue in the state cabinet to take a call on whether to issue fresh guidelines or to ask the authorities to implement the standing orders,” home minister Dilip Walse Patil said.