UP: Loudspeakers removed from 125 religious places; volume lowered at 170,00 places

After Uttar Pradesh Chief Miniter Yogi Adityanath issued instructions to remove illegal loudspeakers from religious places, it has been reported that loudspeakers have been removed from 125 religious places.

Also, the volume of loudspeakers has been lowered by the management at another 170,00 religious places.

ADG Law and Order claimed that UP police had reached out to 37,344 religious leaders to reach the consensus.

The UP police said that apart from removal of the illegal loudspeakers, special arrangements have been put in place for the smooth offering of Alvida Namaz.

The Uttar Pradesh Home Department has instructed police to prepare and submit a report by April 30. The divisional commissioners from every district will send the reports, said the instruction.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said last week that loudspeakers can be used at religious places with permission, but the sound must not come out of the premises. He further said that no new permits will be issued for loudspeakers.

Meanwhile, sending out a message of harmony, the biggest temple and a mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Badagaon town have taken down their loudspeakers.

The decision to take down the speakers was taken after a meeting between the temple priest and the mosque's imam.

Local media reported that priest Shanti Mohan Dass and imam Hafiz Mohammad Taj Alam said they jointly decided to bring down the loudspeakers.

“The arti is performed every morning and evening, the bhajans are being recited regularly but without loudspeakers,” said the priest Shanti Mohan Dass.

Hafiz Taj Alam was quoted as saying by the media, “Hindus and Muslims have been living in harmony and loudspeakers cannot be allowed to come in the way. I pray for this harmony to prevail in the country. We have put small speakers inside the mosque and ensured that the sound doesn’t travel outside”.