Police in Uttar Pradesh Remove More Than 6,000 Loudspeakers From Religious Places

On 2 April, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray demanded a ban on loudspeakers in mosques, and warned the state government that if it failed to do so his party workers will play Hanuman Chalisa from temples. His demand was supported by the BJP and a Hindu organisation in Karnataka.

Amid a row over the use of loudspeakers at mosques, the police in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, following a government order, removed more than 6,000 loudspeakers from religious places in the state on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media, Additional Director General of Police Prashant Kumar said: “A statewide drive is being undertaken to remove loudspeakers from religious places and set their volume within permissible limits.”

"Under this exercise, a total of 6,031 loudspeakers were removed and volume of 29,674 loudspeakers was set within permissible limits till Wednesday afternoon," he said.

Kumar said that the loudspeakers are being removed from all the religious places without discrimination.

The police action came after Uttar Pradesh state government ordered the removal of illegal loudspeakers from religious places in the state.

The government order came days after Uttar Pradesh State Chief Yogi Adityanath’s directive for restricting the volume of loudspeakers at religious places to avoid disturbance to people living nearby.

Adityanath also directed that no religious processions should take place without official permission.

Loudspeaker Controversy

A row over the use of loudspeakers at mosques has been raging in India for the past few days. Hindu organisations and several politicians have called for a ban in some states.

Earlier this month, Raj Thackeray, head of the regional political party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in the Indian state of Maharashtra, demanded that the state government remove loudspeakers from mosques.

He warned that if the government failed to do this, his party's workers would play ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ (a prayer dedicated to Lord Hanuman) from temples. His demand was supported by BJP and Sri Ram Sena, a Hindu organisation in Karnataka.

Days after Thackeray made his demand, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil said that top officials of the state police and Mumbai police would prepare guidelines on the use of loudspeakers at religious places and that the guidelines would be issued soon.

Meanwhile, local police in Nashik city in the state banned playing Hanuman Chalisa or Hindu devotional songs on loudspeakers 15 minutes before or after Azaan (the Muslim call to prayer) is offered.

The police also banned the use of loudspeakers at religious places without permission and asked all such locations to obtain permits by May 3.