After Raj Thackeray, BJP MP from West Bengal Roopa Ganguly on Monday questioned the logic of loudspeakers while offering Azan. She said a religion’s campaign shouldn’t make others insane. “I don’t understand, did we have the concept of a loudspeaker during the inception of religion? What’s the point of it? A religion’s campaign shouldn’t make others insane. This process of playing loudspeakers 5-10 times a day shouldn’t continue,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by ANI.
This comes just two days after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday asked the state government to ban the loudspeakers in mosques during azaan. Addressing the party workers in Mumbai, Thackeray on Saturday said he was not against prayers, but people can pray at their homes.
“The government should take a decision on removing mosque loudspeakers. I am warning now…remove loudspeakers or else will put loudspeakers in front of the mosque and play Hanuman Chalisa,” he said.
A day after his warning, an MNS leader played ‘Hanuman Chalisa‘ at high decibels from loudspeakers at the party office in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar. MNS leader Mahendra Bhanushali was, however, stopped and taken into custody by Mumbai Police.
Later, Bhanushali said Thackeray had ordered ‘Hanuman Chalisa‘ to be played on the road, and he obliged. He said police told him not to do it as it could lead to enmity. “But was there any enmity over Mosque loudspeakers for so many years?” he asked. The MNS leader alleged that Mumbai Police had imposed a Rs 5,050 fine on him.
Today, Karnataka Minister K S Eshwarappa said any solution to the loudspeakers issue can be found by taking the Muslim community into confidence. He said there have been complaints for a long time that the use of loudspeakers disturbs students and patients during morning and evening hours. The minister advised leaders from the minority community to see that speakers are limited to their places of worship and don’t disturb people living in surrounding areas.
“The attempts by Raj Thackeray or Sri Rama Sene against the use of loudspeakers at mosques have to be naturally done by taking the Muslim community into confidence. There have been complaints about a long time that it disturbs students and patients during morning and evening hours,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
