Bajrang Dal in Gujarat, especially Surat, has decided to donate loudspeakers to all those places where Hindus are in minority so as to facilitate recitals of Hanuman Chalisa. Bajrang Dal has taken it upon itself to start a nationwide movement on recital of Hanuman Chalisa twice a day.
There are 21 such areas in Surat where Hanuman Chalisa is recited twice a day on loudspeakers, from the temples or from the roofs of residents. “In coming days, more such areas will be included. In those areas, there are pockets where Hindus are in minority. There, too, the Bajrang Dal has decided to donate speakers along with amplifiers and timers set so that the Hanuman Chalisa gets played twice a day on its own,” said Bajrang Dal’s Rahul Sharma while speaking to OpIndia.
Sharma further said that certain areas where Hindus have become a minority, like certain pockets of Azad Nagar, were not Hindu minority areas always. The demography change has happened over past few years. “People from lower caste used to reside in these areas. These people came and tried to create the divide between Hindus by telling them how Dalits are not Hindus and slowly the area become Muslim dominated. We have taken it upon ourselves to assure them that they are as much Hindus,” Sharma said.
Azad Nagar area in Surat is one such area where in some pockets, Hindus have become a minority. Above video is of Hanuman Chalisa being recited in the area.
Bajrang Dal’s Sharma further explained that in Vesu area of Surat, some Muslim youths would come and create a nuisance. “We started recital of Hanuman Chalisa in the area and the nuisance is less now. Bhoot pishach nikat nahin aave, Mahabir jab naam sunave,” he said.
Earlier people used to oppose the use of speakers but now they have also embraced the Hanuman Chalisa recital on loudspeakers.
Hanuman Chalisa in Surat
OpIndia had earlier reported that since earlier this year, residents in Surat have started reciting Hanuman Chalisa twice a day. Surat residents said that playing the Hanuman Chalisa and weekly Satsang creates awareness about the Dharm along with spreading positivity. This is not limited just to Surat, but even other parts of Gujarat have embraced Hanuman Chalisa recital. Other than the local Hindutva groups like Shri Sainath Yuvak Mandal, women’s group of Durga Vahini and Matru Shakti also join in the satsang.
The Hindu Pushback
Across India, the azaan, Islamic call for prayer, is blared on loudspeaker five times a day, the first one being played way before sunrise between 5-6 AM. Even Islamic countries discourage the use of loudspeaker for azaan for Fajr (morning) namaaz, or use only internal speakers for the same. In India, however, any such comments on use of loudspeakers for azaan is referred to as ‘bigotry’ and ‘Islamophobia’ – many times by the ones who refer to themselves as liberals and seculars.