Mumbai: Mumbai BJP president Mangal Prabhat Lodha has lodged a complaint with Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey, demanding stricter measures against Azaan loudspeakers installed in mosques, citing noise pollution. The complaint was conveyed through a written letter, with BJP MLAs Atul Bhatkhalkar, Kalidas Kolambakar and Rahul Narvekar also present for the occasion.
"We have requested Pandey to circulate the ban orders across all police stations in Mumbai. We brought to their attention how several organizations have already banned practices that contributed to noise pollution. It affects school children who are trying to study," Lodha said. He further highlighted that though the Mumbai Police is conducting a campaign against noise pollution and the court has also curtailed the practice of using loudspeakers for the Azaan, it is still very much in practice.
Meanwhile, MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar demanded that Mumbai Police Commissioner should ban loudspeakers entirely. In a press conference held two days ago, another BJP leader Mohit Kamboj also demanded something along the same lines, especially in the Bandra, Versova and Mohammad Ali Road areas of the economic capital. "In the older days, there were no clocks. So the people from the Muslim community had to rely on the mosque announcements for praying. But everyone has watches now, so I don't think there is any need for the speakers. We are not against any society or religion. But it hurts a lot of people, especially students," Kamboj opined in a video posted on his official Twitter account.
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