PATNA: Days after raising heat in the political circles of Maharashtra and Karnataka, the demand for ban on mosque loudspeakers has reached Bihar.
Senior BJP leader and Bihar mines & geology minister Janak Ram on Thursday demanded ban on loudspeakers in mosques because it adversely affect people staying in the nearby areas. “I want to remind the 13 crore people (an estimated population of Bihar) that playing loud sounds and rash driving are prohibited during Holi, Diwali, Chhath Puja and other Hindu festivals. But people who refer to the Constitution should also know that when loudspeakers are played in mosques, children face difficulties in their studies. When you prohibit one class of the society from using loudspeaker, you should also bar mosques from using it, because the loud sound affect all people,” Ram said.
“It is the people’s demand. People bring us to power and as a public representative and a minister, I am keeping this demand in the public domain,” he said at Muzaffarpur.
When contacted, Ram told TOI on Friday that he raised a very genuine demand. “What is wrong if I am demanding a ban on use of loudspeakers in mosques?” he asked. When told that being a minister he could raise the issue with his government or administration, Ram evaded a direct reply.
Reacting over the BJP minister’s statement, JD(U) national secretary general K C Tyagi told TOI that the Constitution has provided liberty to worship to the people of every religion. BJP leaders should avoid making statements on any controversial issue and not give the opposition an opportunity to say that ‘all is not well in the NDA’. If any minister has a problem, he should talk to the chief minister. The BJP leaders should maintain the status quo of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee and George Fernandes era on such issues. If they have a problem, they should call a meeting of all stakeholders and take their views, Tyagi said. He also said if the BJP leaders continued to issue such controversial statements, it would have an adverse effect on the health of the NDA.
NDA ally HAM(S)’s spokesperson Danish Rizwan challenged the BJP minister to try to stop loudspeakers at mosques.
Earlier, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief, Raj Thackeray, on April 2 demanded removal of loudspeakers from the mosques. “You (Muslims) can pray at your home, but the government should take a decision on removing mosque loudspeakers... Remove loudspeakers or else we will put loudspeakers in front of the mosque and play ‘Hanuman Chalisa’,” Raj had threatened.
