BJP MLA seeks details of mosques, loudspeakers in UP’s Aligarh

Directives have been issued to the concerned magistrates in Aligarh district to gather information and the same would be provided to the MLA, said ADM (city), Aligarh

A day after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed that no religious procession should be taken out without permission and that usage of loudspeakers should not inconvenience others, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Aligarh city seat Mukta Raja has sought details about the number of mosques in Aligarh city and how many of them have loudspeakers.

Directives have been issued to the concerned magistrates in Aligarh district to gather information and the same would be provided to the MLA, said ADM (city), Aligarh (For Representation)

“Is ‘azaan’ held before 5am at these mosques having loudspeakers is in compliance with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court? In case, these loudspeakers are not used in compliance with the Apex court directives, what action has been taken in this regard,” the first time MLA asked In her April 18 letter to the additional district magistrate (ADM), city, Aligarh.

“What is the limit of intensity of these loudspeakers installed at the mosques? Whether the district administration has physically verified these loudspeakers or not,” the MLA further asked through her letter already received by the Aligarh district administration.

“In case, the district administration of Aligarh has not conducted physical verification of these loudspeakers at mosque, their sound intensity be regulated in compliance with the directives of the Apex court,” said the BJP MLA who is the wife of former BJP legislator from Aligarh city Sanjeev Raja. Sanjeev Raja was convicted in a case last year and thus he could not contest the 2022 UP assembly polls.

When contacted, ADM (city) Aligarh Rakesh Kumar Patel on Tuesday confirmed that he had received the BJP MLA’s letter. “Directives have been issued to the concerned magistrates in Aligarh district to gather information and the same would be provided to the MLA,” he said.

The letter comes at the time when the Aligarh district administration is busy persuading those seeking permission to install loudspeakers at temples on 21 crossings in Aligarh city for recital of “Hanuman Chalisa”.

To recall, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s former state secretary Baldev Choudhary aka Seetu Choudhary had sought permission to install loudspeakers at 21 prominent crossings in Aligarh city for recital of Hanuman Chalisa a week ago. However, no permission has been given in this regard till date.

On this issue, ADM (city) Rakesh Kumar Patel said matter had been resolved through a dialogue. Moreover, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Rubina Khanum had recently warned if Muslims were continued to be cornered, Muslim women will come forward and recite the holy “Quran” in front of temples in Aligarh.

“A case has been registered against SP leader Rubina Khanum with Civil Lines police station for such provocative statements aimed at harming peace and tranquillity in the city,” said SSP Aligarh Kalanidhi Naithani.