On Tuesday, 5th April 2022, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, on the tussle over the appeal to ban in mosques, said that the High court order is against the use of loudspeakers in all religious places and not just in mosques.
He assured to look into the matter and this comes after rightwing outfits such as Bajrang Dal and Sri Ram Sena called for loudspeakers ban in mosques.
The verbal quarrel on the ban of Karnataka by the right-wing outfits came after when the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray demanded the ban of speakers in mosques across Maharashtra or else the party workers would play bhajans every day at 5 pm.
In the meantime, Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa commented that this is not a competition to play Hanuman Chalisa to counter the Muslims and said that the Muslim community should understand that loudspeakers are disturbing students, children and patients.
He added that offering prayers using loudspeakers would lead to conflict between communities.
Hindu groups in the state have demanded restrictions on the use of loudspeakers in mosques in the city, failing which, they would use them in temples. The holy month of Ramzan, which culminates in Eid, began earlier this week.
On Tuesday, Hassan district Hindutva organisations appealed to managements of Hindu temples in the district to chant on loudspeakers every morning. The priest of Kalikamba temple in Arsikere, Rishi Kumar Swami, chanted prayers on the loudspeaker at 5.30 am. “If the loudspeakers installed in mosques and madrasas have to be stopped, then at the same time you should also chant Ram and chant on the loudspeakers,” said the priest.
In Bengaluru, Bajrang Dal member Bharath Shetty said the campaign against loudspeakers in mosques will start in the Anjaneya temple in Yelahanka.
In Chikkamagaluru, Kali Mutt pontiff Yogeshwar Rishi Kumar Swami, who was recently arrested for giving a call to demolish a mosque in Srirangapatna town, said he will launch a campaign to popularise the chanting of shlokas in the wee hours in all temples of the state. “We started the prayer in the morning last month at our mutt located in Devanur. I will participate in the prayer around 5 am,’’ he said.
“On azaan, there’s a high court order. And, there’s another order asking why there’s no implementation,” Bommai told reporters on Tuesday morning.
“There are decibel levels fixed. And decibel meters are supposed to be purchased at the district level. There are orders being implemented in a phased manner. There’s no force. It’s something that needs to be done by taking people into confidence,” he said.
Bommai was referring to January 11, 2021, Karnataka high court order which directed the state government to act against illegal loudspeakers at religious places in the state. It directed the state government to immediately issue directions to the police and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to initiate action on the use of amplifiers and loudspeakers in religious places violating laws on noise pollution and directions issued by the Supreme Court.
Published By : VATSAL KOTHA
Edited By : KRITIKA KASHYAP
