Loudspeaker row: Six MNS workers booked

A loudspeaker on a mosque at Chembur. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The Mumbai police on Wednesday claimed that 935 mosques in the city have taken permission to use loudspeakers, but 135 of them violated Supreme Court guidelines in the process. The SC guidelines permit the use of loudspeakers from 6 am to 10 pm, but the police said these mosques began the use of loudspeakers before 6 am. Fortunately the situation in Mumbai remained peaceful.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had given a call for agitation against loudspeakers installed on mosques across the country. Thackeray had given the ultimatum of May 3 and threatened to play the Hanuman Chalisa more louder than azaan on loudspeakers, if they were found flouting Supreme Court guidelines. The Mumbai police had taken preventive action against MNS workers across the state in anticipation of the ultimatum. However, six party workers, including general secretary Sandeep Deshpande were booked during the day in separate incidents.

Two cops injured

Around 11.15am, Shivaji Park police, who had summoned Sandeep Deshpande, general secretary, MNS, tried to apprehend him and two others in front of Thackeray's residence for flouting their notice. Deshpande ran away. In the scuffle, a woman constable fell down while a car ran over the toe of another cop. Shivaji Park police were in the process of booking 3 persons related to the incident including Deshpande and Santosh Dhuri late on Wednesday. Both the injured cops were treated in KEM Hospital.

3 MNS workers fake video

The Kandivli police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against three MNS members for posting a clip on social media of Hanuman Chalisa being played by them on a building terrace on Wednesday.

According to the Kandivli police, the three men had made a video of themselves playing Hanuman Chalisa on a speaker while azaan was heard from a masjid. Infact, that day the police said the azaan was not done on mike at that masjid, so they used the sound of azaan from a masjid in Malaysia which they got on YouTube. "In order to post a video on social media, the three copied a video of azaan from YouTube followed by their clip playing the Hanuman Chalisa on speakers," said a police officer.

After the video was circulated on social media, police identified the three men. They were then booked under section 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code and section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act.

"There are no arrests yet in the case," said Vishal Thakur, deputy commissioner of police (zone 11). Zone 11 police also took action against 24 MNS workers for not heeding warnings in the preventive action. They were arrested as per 151(3) CrPC and produced in court which released them on bail.

Commissioner holds meeting

Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey on Wednesday held a meeting with religious leaders to ensure that loudspeakers were not used without permission or against the order of the Supreme Court. The meeting was called as part of the police's approach to deal with the religious issues which have taken a political turn since the MNS chief's threat to chant Hanuman Chalisa outside every mosque during azaan. During the meet at the Mumbai police headquarters, around 200 religious leaders met him. "We were told to adhere by the Supreme Court order as far as the use of loudspeakers is concerned inside temples or any other places. The commissioner has also asked all the temples to take permission for the use of loudspeakers," said Chintamani Niawate, secretary, Shree Dandeshwar Mandir, Khar.

After the meeting, the religious leaders also said that it will be difficult for them to seek permission every month, because speakers were used for specific occasions. "Politicians should not play with the religious sentiments of people. Such a situation had never arisen in Mumbai, where we had to take permission for loudspeaker use in the temple," Niwate added.

As per the Supreme Court order, the limit for loudspeakers is 55 decibels in residential, 65 in commercial and 75 in industrial areas. "I have conveyed to the commissioner that we don't use loudspeakers with more than 55 decibels, but despite that we were told to take permission," said Arvind Patil, secretary, Ram Hanuman Shiv Mandir, Andheri.

As per data from Mumbai police there are around 2,400 temples, churches and gurudwaras in Mumbai and only 24 of them have taken permissions for loudspeaker use. The police also said that after they called a meeting with Muslim religious leaders, around 935 mosques from 1,100 took permission for the same.

The state police also kept an close eye on MNS workers. According to Maharashtra police officials, the state police have registered 8 offences and arrested 56 people for taking the law into their own hands. The police also took preventive action against 2,300 people and issued notices to 7,000 people.

135
No. of mosques that allegedly violated SC guidelines

By Anurag Kamble, Samiullah Khan and Faizan Khan