Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that his government will strictly implement the Supreme court orders on the use of loudspeakers in religious places after pro-Hindu groups staged protests across the state by playing Hanuman Chalisa at 5 am in several temples to counter the call of azaan on loudspeakers atop mosques.
Even after the Chief Minister stated his government’s intention of strictly enforcing the court orders, following in the footsteps of the UP government, the Hindu outfits continued to be adamant about their cause. They said that they would only stop when changes were actually seen on ground.
“There was a Supreme Court order regarding loudspeakers in 2000, thereafter the central government had issued an order based on the recommendations of the Central Pollution Control Board as to when loudspeakers should be used and at what decibel. In 2002, the Karnataka government had issued a special GO (government order) to implement it, and things are clear in it,” Bommai said.
“So, it has been decided to follow the Supreme Court, Government of India and state government’s orders. Details on implementation, authorities for it like DySP and above rank officials are all mentioned in the order. It also mentions the need to take permission for those who want to use loudspeakers throughout the year,” he told reporters after a meeting.
Throughout the day, state remained tense after Hanuman Chalisa, Suprabhata, Omkara and other devotional songs were played at nearly 1,000 temples at the time of the morning azaan in a bid to protest against the government inaction to curb the use of louspeakers atop mosques.
A delegation of Congress’ Muslim leaders met Bommai to ask him to urgently intervene in order to preserve order and harmony amongst communities.
There were reports of such incidents at temples in various places including Bengaluru, Hubballi, Belagavi, Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru, Yadgir, Mandya and Kolar among other places. At places including in Bengaluru, some Hindu activists were detained by the police.
With the issue raging, Bommai assured the disgruntled Hindu outfits that court orders will be strictly enforced and not to take law and order in their own hands. “Things will be fine, if everyone abides by the order. It is the same set of rules that are being followed in Uttar Pradesh and other places, we are implementing it,” he added.
Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik said their campaign is against the government and the “adamant” Muslim community.
“For the last one year, we have continuously been warning about the issues caused by the loudspeakers, disturbance to society, students and patients. We had also told Muslims, but nothing changed, no action was taken other than issuing notices. It was a drama. Even today, mosques have not stopped playing loudspeakers at 5 am,” he said.
Stating that the sound of azaan during the other four times of the day is not being reduced in accordance with permissible limits, he said, “Our fight has only begun today. If still no action is taken, we will file a contempt petition in the High Court as it violates Supreme Court orders…This is not Taliban rule, Pakistan or Afghanistan. This is India, there is a constitution and rule of law here.”
Sri Rama Sene, on Sunday, had given a May 9 deadline to the Karnataka government that it will counter morning azaan with Hanuman Chalisa or Suprabhat or Omkara and devotional songs starting Monday if the government did not bring down loudspeakers installed at mosques.
(With inputs from PTI)