The Supreme Court's decision to extend the use of loudspeakers by two hours, from 10 pm to midnight, during Navratri in Gujarat, will apply to the entire country, state Chief Minister Narendra Modi told rediff.com on Monday.
"It was Gujarat which approached the Supreme Court against the ban and told the honourable court that the Garba festival is linked to the sentiments of the people as they evoke Shakti and Bhakti by dancing through the night during Navratri. I am indebted to the court," a delighted Modi told this correspondent from Gandhinagar.
He also thanked the Supreme Court and all those who helped the state government in its effort to place before the apex court its arguments for relaxing the ban on use of loudspeakers beyond 10 pm during Navratri.
In particular, he thanked Bharatiya Janata Party president L K Advani for taking up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and pleading the state government's case with him.
Reliable legal sources said the apex court will now re-examine the entire case of noise pollution.