Amid the ongoing loudspeaker controversy in Karnataka, state Home Minister Araga Gyanendra said on Friday that the government has sent notices to religious institutions across the state, ordering them to maintain the noise of loudspeakers within the prescribed limit. The notices have been sent by Bengaluru Police to 301 mosques, temples, churches, and other establishments
‘Religious institutions of the entire state have been warned by issuing notices. They have also been instructed to reduce the noise to the prescribed limit. If not, action will be taken. Everyone has to follow the orders of the court”, Gyanendra said on April 8.
Notice issued to religious institutions across the state. Not only this but they’ve also been called&are being taken into confidence to reduce noise to permissible limit otherwise action will be taken. Everyone has to follow court orders: Karnataka HM on Azaan loudspeaker issue pic.twitter.com/kJOnFJmzWg
— ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2022
According to the reports, notices have also been served to restaurants, pubs, and bars. Out of 301 notices issued by the Bengaluru Police, 125 have been sent to mosques, 83 to temples, 22 to churches, 12 to industries, and 59 to pubs and bars.
This is after Hindu organizations in Karnataka complained about the noise pollution being created due to the loudspeakers. Also, BJP leader and Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa had noted that prayers through loudspeakers in mosques were disturbing the elderly persons, students, and patients. “The community has for long followed the tradition of calling for prayers using loudspeakers, and this is an issue even for their own children’s studies,” the minister had said.
#BREAKING | Political faceoff over loudspeaker ban: Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa backs call from right-wing groups to restrict use of loudspeakers at mosques, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah rebuts
— Republic (@republic) April 5, 2022
Watch – https://t.co/gtsNNz0RdT pic.twitter.com/qF7NAbA10h
Later Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai stated that the issue of Azaan on loudspeakers in the state would be solved by considering everyone. He cited the High Court order regarding Azaan and said that the installation of decibel meters is being implemented in stages. “It is a job which needs to be done by taking everyone into confidence, it is not a job to be done by the force in any way”, the Chief Minister said.
This is HC order. It’s not forced. Everything has to be done by talking and explaining to people. It is not only for azaan, it is for all loudspeakers. So, we will take a call: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai on demand by some orgs for a ban on loudspeakers in mosques in the state pic.twitter.com/nV0xMB6Pir
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2022
Meanwhile, Congress leader Siddaramaiah accused the ruling BJP in Karnataka of raising communal issues for political gains with an eye on the Assembly elections. He also called out Bommai for his alleged silence on the issue and asked ‘speakers were installed in temples, mosques, and churches for a long time now. What harm did it cause to people till now’. He accused the Chief Minister of being weak and not being able to take action against those who are causing a disturbance in society.
The Azaan row first flared up in the state of Maharashtra last week when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray called his party workers to play Hanuman Chalisa from loudspeakers in public places across the state.
“Why are loudspeakers in mosques turned up so loud? If this doesn’t stop, there’ll be loudspeakers outside mosques playing #HanumanChalisa.”
— श्रीMurali 🇮🇳 (@mayamadhava) April 3, 2022
MNS Chief #Rajthackrey.
He praised @myogiadityanath-led UP Govt & accused present ruling Maha Vikas Aghdi of “ignoring people’s mandate”. pic.twitter.com/GFcUZJLnCA
“Why loudspeakers in mosques are played at such high volume? If this is not stopped, there will be speakers outside mosques playing Hanuman Chalisa at higher volume”, Raj Thackeray said as the MNS workers played Hanuman Chalisa in front of its office in Kalyan town.
#Maharashtra: In Kalyan city MNS workers played Hanuman Chalisa and chanted Jai Shri Ram after Raj Thackeray’s stand against loudspeakers in masjids.#LoudspeakerPolitics #MNSAdhikrut #Rajthackrey pic.twitter.com/bDjhOyR41D
— Sanket Pathak (@imsanketpathak) April 5, 2022
Some BJP leaders supported the move including Karnataka’s Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa. “Anyone who needs a loudspeaker to install it in a temple can ask us for free! All Hindus should have one voice! Jai Shri Ram! Har Har Mahadev”, BJP leader Mohit Kamboj tweeted.
— Mohit Kamboj Bharatiya – मोहित कंबोज भारतीय (@mohitbharatiya_) April 6, 2022
Several Hindu organizations in Karnataka also said that they would play bhajans every morning if the Azaan on loudspeakers were not stopped. Meanwhile, Mohammed M Imran Rashadi, Chief Imam and Khateeb of Jamia Masjid, Bengaluru said that the regulations issued by the Supreme Court will be followed. “We’ve arranged a device that controls the sound as required so that no problems arise. We’ll follow all the SC-issued notices. Similarly, temples should also follow”, he said.
Karnataka | We’ve arranged a device that controls the sound as required so that no problems arise. We’ll follow all the SC-issued notices. Similarly, temples should also follow: Mohammed M Imran Rashadi, Chief Imam & Khateeb of Jamia Masjid, Bengaluru, on Azaan loudspeaker issue pic.twitter.com/rRoVK8PdeU
— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2022
As per the Supreme Court order, the Karnataka government has allowed the noise of 75 decibels during the daytime and 70 decibels at night in the industrial area. However, in commercial areas noise of 65 decibels during the day and 55 decibels at the night is allowed. In residential areas 55 decibels in the daytime and 45 decibels at night time. Also, in the silence zone, 50 decibels of noise is permitted during the day and 40 decibels at the night.
