Eager to maintain peace and order in volatile times, the Nashik police on April 18, 2022 banned the playing of Hanuman Chalisa, bhajan or kirtan, 15 minutes before and after azaan.

Nashik Commissioner of Police Deepak Pandey said that the police are keen to maintain the law and order situation in the city, and have thus prohibited the playing of bhajans or similar hymns within 100 meters of a mosque to respect the rights of the Muslim community. The move comes as an effective means to curb Hindutva terrorism and the spread of social discord.

Speaking to a news agency, Pandey said that section 40 of the Police Rules, 1951 allows the police to enforce such laws in times of societal or religious unrest, keeping in mind legal and customary rights. “Police can direct any order to people, sections and groups. Further, regarding the MNS [Maharashtra Navnirman Sena] demand, the Markaz of Nashik and the 2005 High Court order and other noise pollution rules, the police recognises the Muslim community’s customary right to practice azaan,” said Pandey.

As such, it prohibited the playing of hanuman chalisa, bhajan or kirtan 15 minutes before and after azaan timings – 5 AM, 1:30 PM, 5:30 PM, 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM. Pandey said the intention is to acknowledge that any person’s rights ends where another person’s rights begin.

“In accordance with our duty to the constitution and the society, we ensure that peace and order is maintained,” he said.

Earlier, MNS Chief Raj Thackeray demanded that mosques remove their loudspeakers by Eid ie. May 3, threatening dire consequences. Over the years, Thackeray has repeatedly voiced his arguments against loudspeakers, especially after his party the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena took a drastic step and shed its original secular image in favour of a hardline Hindutva agenda.

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Actor Suchitra Krishnamoorthi reached home at 4.45 am on the morning of July 23. Soon thereafter she was disturbed by “ear-shattering” azaans (calls for namaz) from two neighbouring mosques. The angry actor shot off a Tweet message protesting against what she described as “extreme imposed religiosity”.

A section of the Twitterati shot back, some mocking her, some alleging her complaint was nothing but cheap attention grabbing. Samajwadi leader Juhi Singh mocked Suchitra for thinking sleep is more important than prayers.

“Such irresponsible comments have been made in the past also. I am unable to understand what kind of people they are. I would like to know how does azaan, which otherwise purifies you on hearing, bother her. May be her sleep is more important,” SP leader Juhi Singh told ANI, on Monday.

Responding to the criticisms against her, Suchitra shot back to say that one, she had no objection to azaan during “decent hours” and two, she herself prayed but did not need someone to wake her up for that through blaring loudspeakers.

In April this year, singer Sonu Nigam had triggered a similar conroversy, describing the use of loudspeakers for azaan and sermons as “hooliganism”.

He had tweeted a message saying: “God bless everyone. I am not a Muslim and I have to be woken up by the azaan in the morning. When will this forced religiousness end in India?”

“Gundagardi hai bus (it is hooliganism),” he had added. Apologising later, Nigam had said he was trying to raise a social issue and not raking up a religious controversy.

However, when the imam of Kolkotta’s Jama Masjid declared an award of Rs. 10 lakh to anyone who shaved off Nigam’s head, the singer got himself a cleanshave before TV cameras and demanded that the award be paid to him.   

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