Lucknow: After famous Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam’s objections, the Allahabad Central University Vice-Chancellor Prof Sangita Srivastava has lodged a police complaint against use of high-pitched loudspeakers at a mosque for ‘azaan’ near her Civil Lines residence in Prayagraj.
Acting on her complaint, the Superintendent of Police D.K. Singh said that the Mutawalli of the mosque has been directed to lower the volume in accordance with the High Court orders so that no one's sleep is disturbed during ‘azaan’.
After the SP’s directive, Mohammed Kaleem, a member of the Managing Committee of the mosque said that they have not only lowered the volume but withdrawn two loudspeakers.
“We have also changed the directions of the loudspeakers so that the slep of the Vice-Chancellor and others don’t get disturbed early morning when azaan is rendered from the mosque,” stated Kaleem.
In a letter to the IG, the District Magistrate and the SSP, Prof Srivastava had complained that she is awakened by the high-pitched azaan early every morning. The break in sleep causes headache the whole day affecting her duties, she rued.
He claimed in her letter that she was not against any religion, caste or community but everyone in the area is affected by the high-volume azaan. “During Eid, sahari is announced at 4.00 am. Azaan can be rendered without loudspeakers also. It will not cause any trouble to anyone,” She complained.
The Vice-Chancellor also gave reference to an Allahabad High Court order which restricts use of high-volume loudspeakers between 10 pm to 6 am. The state government had also passed directives to all DMs and SSPs to ensure that use of loudspeakers at places of worship follow the provisions of the Sound Pollution Act.
Like in case of Sonu Nigam, Muslim Clerics reacted sharply on objections raised by the Vice-Chancellor. Chairman Islamic Centre of IndiaMaulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali clarified that mosques all over the country follow the court orders and render azaan through loudspeakers within the prescribed sound limits.
“An issue is unnecessarily being created again use of loudspeakers from mosques for rendering azaan. We take strong objections to Vice-Chancellor’s claim that her sleep gets disturbed by azaan. We are known for Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb world over and people respect one another’s religion and rituals. The morning air in our country is always blown with bhajans, Kirtans and azaans. It does not disturb anyone’s sleep but adds tranquility to life,” he pointed out.
