Now, Sena targets mosques over loudspeakers

NEW DELHI: Booked for violating noise pollution norms at its October 17 Dussehra rally, the Shiv Sena Wednesday demanded “action” against mosques for saying Azaan, the call for prayer, on loudspeakers.

The demand comes a day after it called for a ban on the burqa as it was “being misused for childlifting and bogus voting”.

“In a city like Mumbai, does pollution take place only at Shivteerth (Shivaji Park, where the Dussehra rally was held)? In Bhendibazaar, Behrampada, loudspeakers atop Masjids say Azaan in the morning and ruin people’s sleep. They cause disruption in kids’ studies. Action must be taken against these loudspeakers, which trouble the aged, infirm and the sick,” said an editorial in Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna.

Reacting to the Sena’s demands, Muslim scholar and writer Asgar Ali Engineer said, “Shiv Sena made a demand for removing loudspeakers from Masjids during the 1992-93 riots. However, when they came to power, they did not remove a single loudspeaker. When in opposition, they make demands in an irresponsible manner for votes, but when in power, they realise its implications.”

The demands for a ban on the burqa and mosque loudspeakers come close on the heels of the Sena's campaign for removal from the Mumbai University's English literature syllabus a Booker-nominated novel of writer Rohinton Mistry, which was subsequently implemented.

The Mumbai police have registered two separate cases, under the Environment Protection Act and anti-noise pollution laws, against the Shiv Sena for its Dussehra rally which violated the 50 decibel noise level limits imposed by the Bombay High Court.