Ensure legal loudspeakers not removed from mosques: UP minorities panel to state govt

In his letter dated March 13 to UP Chief Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra, the state Minorities Commission Chairperson Ashfaq Saifi states that he received complaints from several districts that loudspeakers had been removed by the local administration from even those mosques following the guidelines of the Allahabad High Court, including stipulated decibel limits. “Please direct all Police Commissioners, SSPs, SPs to not take down loudspeakers from mosques which are following the court guidelines,” his letter says.

“This is to inform you that the holy month of Ramzan starts from March 23. Muslims pray in the month of Ramzan. Please pass orders to ensure proper lighting, power supply, cleanliness around mosques during the morning and evening meals,” the letter states.

It also urges the government to ensure that “proper security arrangements” are made for evening prayers when mosques will be crowded during the month of Ramzan and on the day of Eid across the state.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Saifi said, “The month of Ramzan is very important for Muslims. I have requested Chief Secretary to ensure amenities during the month. I had received complaints from all over UP about the loudspeaker issue, and hence wrote to the government about it.”

Saifi said, “Administration should follow the court guidelines on the issue of loudspeakers and remove those which are not following the guidelines.”

“There are big crowds of namazis in mosques during Ramzan and on Eid, and also during Friday prayers. I have asked for proper security arrangements so that no untoward incident takes place,” he said.

When asked about the minorities panel’s concerns, UP Minister of State for Minorities Welfare Danish Azad Ansari told The Indian Express, “I don’t have information about any such letter. If it comes, correct action will be taken. The Yogi government works with ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas’ ideology. We have always ensured development and welfare of all.”

In April last year, the UP government had carried out a campaign to remove unauthorised loudspeakers from religious places following directions from CM Adityanath to implement guidelines laid down by courts on the issue.

The government had then said that it removed over 10,900 “illegal” and “unauthorised” loudspeakers from religious places across the state.

In December 2017, the Allahabad High Court had asked the UP government to implement noise pollution control rules in religious places. While removing the loudspeakers, the officials had cited the high court’s directions as well as “The Noise Pollution Rules, 2000”.

The current 8-member minorities panel, headed by Saifi, was constituted by the Yogi government in June 2021 for a tenure of three years.

A BJP member, Saifi hails from Agra. He had also been the national general secretary of the BJP’s minorities wing.

The UP Commission for Minorities is a state government-nominated body which works for the upliftment and welfare of minorities in the state. It is a statutory body constituted under the UP Commission for Minorities Act, 1994.