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Azaan row: Sanjay Raut says Maharashtra already has rule on decibel level
Earlier, Sanjay Raut castigated Raj Thackeray's call to take down loudspeakers from mosques and said the law of land prevails in Maharashtra.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said the Maharashtra government already has a rule stipulating the decibel level of azaan played through loudspeaker amid the ongoing row over Azaan that started in Maharashtra and has rocked Karnataka as well. "Maharashtra home ministry has a guideline on what the decibel level should be while observing Azaan," the Shiv Sena MP said.
Last week, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray create a furore after he warned that his party workers will be playing Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosques in Maharashtra. It did not remain an empty threat and MNS workers in Thane played Hanuman Chalisa in front of its office in Kalyan town. “Why loudspeakers in mosques are played at such high volume? If this is not stopped, there will be speakers outside mosques playing Hanuman Chalisa at higher volume," Raj Thackeray said asking whether there were loudspeakers when the religion was founded.
The row spread to Karnataka as Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa reacted to Raj Thackeray's call and said Azaan being played through loudspeaker has been an issue for students, patients and the elderly for a long time. "This is my view on banning loudspeakers. This isn't a competition between Muslims calling for prayers through loudspeakers and Hindus chanting Hanuman Chalisa. And because of the Azaan, it is an issue for students, patients and the elderly," he said.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said the high court order has even specified the sound decibel level and it is not only for azaan but for all loudspeakers.
Though the high court order is old, mosques in Karnataka have started receiving notices from the police to use the loudspeakers within the permissible decibel levels amid the row.
