After anti-halal drive, right-wing groups target mosque loudspeakers

After the anti-halal meat drive, right-wing outfits led by Bajrang Dal and Sriram Sena have now called for a ban on loudspeakers in mosques.

Backing the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, they warned that they will play bhajans at 5 am as a protest against azaan from loudspeakers at mosques.

Raj Thackeray on Saturday demanded that loudspeakers of mosques be shut down.

"Why are loudspeakers in mosques played at such high volume? If this is not stopped, there will be speakers outside mosques playing Hanuman Chalisa at higher volume," he had warned while addressing a Gudi Padwa rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.

In a video message, Sriram Sena convener Pramod Muthalik said the Hindu outfits have been demanding that the loudspeakers on mosques should be banned and the Supreme Court's order on noise pollution implemented.

In this regard, the Sriram Sena had petitioned the authorities concerned but no one paid heed, he alleged.

The government has to instruct the mosque managements not to use loudspeakers, Muthalik said.

He also said that the Supreme Court prohibited usage of loudspeakers from 10 pm to 6 am every day.

"The order also says that loudspeakers should not be used in the silent zones such as schools and hospitals but that order is being violated by the mosque managements. We will play bhajans every morning if the loudspeakers are not removed from mosques," Muthalik warned.