Vijayapura: Asserting that he has no problem with the Government issuing guidelines on usage of loudspeaker in the mosques to call for Azaan, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Spokesperson and Muslim Leader S. M. Patil Ganihar has however appealed to the Government not to restrict that order only to mosques but to extend it to all religious institutions.
Addressing mediapersons on Thursday April 7, he said that in order to ensure that religious institutions should not use loudspeaker sound more than the permissible limit, it should be applied to all, not just for mosques in the State.
Admitting that several mosques of the City have received notices from the respective police stations on usage of loudspeakers, he said that notice mentions that the sound should not be above particular decibel limits.
“Now, how the common people will understand the decibel limit. People are using loudspeakers based on their need. Therefore, the District Administration should hold an awareness programme to make people understand the decibel limit,” he said.
Stating that the order should not be restricted only to masjids, he said that even the temple and churches which are using loudspeakers should be asked to follow the order. Else it will send the message that the Government is targeting only Muslim community. Ganihar also urged the administration to take note of loud DJ music played during events and crackers being burst during various events which create more noise pollution.
On the occasion, he also appealed to the mosque committee to ensure that they keep the loudspeaker voice minimal so that it does not trouble anybody. Earlier, he expressed anguish over the Government for giving indirect support to anti-social elements to create communal tension. “Today when the lives of common people have become miserable due to steep rise in the prices of essential commodities, the BJP Government is deliberately instigating some communal elements to raise controversial issues in order to divert public attention”, he said.
Mentioning Hijab row, he said that the Government whose job was to improve quality of education which has been severely affected due to Covid and lockdown, is busy discussing unwanted issues such as Hijab. Ganihar said that academic activities of over 70% students, mainly of the rural areas, have adversely affected due to the lockdown. The government should have made plans to evolve better teaching methodologies to help such students.
Accusing the BJP Government of working against the principles of the Constitution of India, he said that the Sangh Parivar today dictates on who should eat what and who should buy materials from whom. He condemned the BJP Government for not taking any action against the anti-social elements that are creating trouble in the society in the name of Hijab, Halal meat etc.
Congress leaders Vasant Honmode and Akram Mashalkar were present.
