Kerala minister corrects 'Azaan' remark

Close on the heels of the controversial remarks by Kerala assembly speaker A N Shamseer on Hindu beliefs, a minister in the CPM government in Kerala was caught up in an embarrassment over a remark on ‘Azaan’ in mosques in Saudi Arabia.

Cultural affairs minister Saji Cheriyan said at a function in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday that ‘Azaan’ call to prayer from mosques in Saudi Arabia could not be heard aloud outside the mosques.

Cheriyan however said in a social media post on Sunday that his statement was based on wrong information from another person and urged that the misunderstanding caused shall be done away with.

Criticism from various quarters was learnt to have prompted the minister to correct the remark. The CPM is already caught up in a row over remarks of Kerala speaker A N Shamseer that science should be taught to students and not myths like lord Ganesha and ‘Pushpak viman’.

Cheriyan said on Sunday that when he visited Saudi Arabia he did not hear ‘Azaan’ even as there are many mosques. When he enquired about it he was told by a co-passenger that ‘Azaan' was not allowed to be heard outside mosques. He said that he was quite surprised over it. He further added that there are many Christian churches too in Saudi Arabia and people were enjoying religious freedom. But no loudspeakers are allowed outside, he said.

Cheriyan said in a social media post on Monday that his remarks that  ‘Azaan’ was not heard outside was based on wrong information he received. He said that was only trying to highlight the religious harmony in Saudi Arabia that he witnessed. Certain portions of his speech was being spread by certain sections without understanding his intention, Cheriyan said.

Cheriyan had landed in a row over a remark against the Constitution and was forced to quit from the cabinet last year after a case was registered against him. He was reinducted to the Cabinet in January after he was exonerated in the case.