Since Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray took up the issue of Azaan using loudspeakers and issued an ultimatum to the Maharashtra state government to remove the loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, 2022, numerous politicians in the country have joined in and commented on the subject.
Raj Thackeray had warned the Maharashtra government that if loudspeakers aren’t removed from the mosques, he will install double the number of loudspeakers in front of every mosque and play Hanuman Chalisa recital through them. He had given the government time till Eid to remove the loudspeakers.
Speaking on the question of loudspeakers, Tejaswi Yadav, Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, stated that individuals who do not grasp the core of religion and karma add religious flavour to trivial problems. He stated that no religion or God need a Loudspeaker.
He sent a tweet on Sunday that reads, “Loudspeaker was invented in 1925 and its use in temples/mosques of India started around the 70s. When there was no loudspeaker then God was not there? Without loudspeaker prayer, awakening, bhajan, devotion and Sadhna would not have happened?”
In a subsequent tweet, Yadav said, “In fact, those who do not understand the essence of religion and karma, they give religious colour to unnecessary issues. A self-conscious person will never compare these issues. God is always with us. He pervades every moment and every particle.”
Similarly, the Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Kamal Nath said that the loudspeaker is a personal matter and no one should make an issue of it. “Loudspeaker is used at several places but I believe that it should not be misused. People’s sentiments are attached to the loudspeaker. Nevertheless, action should be taken if it is used to instigate people,” remarked Kamal Nath.
Facing Raj Thackeray’s ultimatum in Maharashtra, NCP chief Sharad Pawar argued that this is just an attempt to move the country backwards by diverting attention away from other serious concerns.
The NCP head, commenting on the politics around loudspeakers stated, “If you turn on the television today, you’ll hear someone declare that they’ll host a sabha, and someone another demand that the Hanuman Chalisa be chanted.”
Samajwadi Party Supremo Akhilesh Yadav who was attending an Iftar party on Saturday said during the event that the issue of loudspeakers has been raised intentionally. Also, dragging in the use of bulldozers against illegal properties, he said, “No party is more of a liar than the BJP, the loudspeaker issue is intentional as they know that don’t have the figures for unemployment in UP. Law &order situation is deteriorating in UP; that’s why govt is running bulldozers so that there’s no debate.”
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar strangely branded the use of loudspeakers in places of worship as a religious practice on Saturday.
“Let us not talk about this nonsense. It is known to all that in Bihar we do not interfere in religious practices of any sort. Of course, some people think it is their business to make a fuss and they keep at it,” said Nitish Kumar.