JOIN USUttar Pradesh govt orders removal of illegal loudspeakers from religious places
Amid the raging controversy over the use of loudspeakers for azaan (call to prayer from mosques) and recitals of bhajans (religious songs), the Uttar Pradesh government on Monday ordered for removal of 'illegal' loudspeakers from the religious places in the state.
The directive was issued by the Additional Chief Secretary Avanish Kumar Awasthi.
Awasthi directed the police to ensure that all 'illegal' loudspeakers were removed from religious places in the state by April 30 and a compliance report in this regard must be submitted to the government.
The police officials were asked to speak to the religious leaders and apprise them about the government directive. The directive stated that it should be ensured that in the case of legal loudspeakers, the sound levels must be in accordance with the rules.
According to the reports, loudspeakers from several important temples and mosques were removed in the past few days following the controversy.
The loudspeaker fixed atop the famous Gorakhnath Temple, which earlier faced the road, was turned towards the temple so that people outside did not have to hear the high decibel sound. The temple was previously headed by former Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
A controversy had erupted over the use of loudspeakers for the purpose of azaan, with several saffron outfits demanding for a ban. The saffron outfits had installed loudspeakers atop several houses in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and had started reciting bhajans and other religious songs through them at high decibel levels during the azaan.
President of Shrikashi Vishwanath Gyanvapi Movement and BJP member Sudhir Singh had also asked all Hindu residents of Varanasi to install loudspeakers atop their houses and join the recitation five times a day.
Earlier Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackerey had warned that his party workers would start reciting Hanuman Chalisa at high decibel levels if the state government did not get the loudspeakers removed from the mosques in Maharashtra.
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