Speakers: Govt imposes terms

By NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Mosques would get ‘acknowledgments’ upon submission of licence forms, allowing them to continue to use loudspeakers in the coming days.

The chief imam of Jamia Masjid Moulana Maqsood Imran disclosed the information to News Trail. The revelation comes in the backdrop of State Home Minister Araga Jnanendra’s assertion that one is required to submit forms to the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Bengaluru within 15 days to be able to acquire licences to continue using loudspeakers in the city.

The imam said that since it was not possible to disburse the licenses right away, acknowledgements would be handed out. Issuing of licenses was the prerogative of a yet to be formed committee, he added. “I met the ADGP Dayananda. He informed me that a committee will be instituted, which will include the ACP, the Tehsildar and a pollution board officer. The form should be submitted to the ACP office. The form (being passed around) is also an old form. Licences will also not be issued right away (since it is the prerogative of the committee). They will only give is an acknowledgement, which will suffice in the meantime. Licence is a long term arrangement,” Imam Maqsood Imran said.

SC judgement
The Supreme Court had ordered that loudspeakers should not be used from 10 pm to 6 am and during the permitted hours, they be used under certain limits.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) puts the limit at 75 decibels (db) during the day and 70 db during the night for industrial areas, 65 and 55 db at day and night respectively in commercial areas. The same is 55 and 45 db in residential areas. Despite this order, right wing groups like Sri Ram Sene played Hanuman Chalisa and Suprabhata (morning prayer chant) on loudspeakers at 5 am to protest the azaan.

Following this, Ameer-e-Shariat Karnataka Moulana Sagheer Ahmed Rashadi had directed mosques to avoid use of loudspeakers in the morning and be patient in the face of provocation. Later on, a meeting was held with Chamarajpet Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed, Moulana Maqsood Imran in attendance. They affirmed Rashadi’s stand.

Maqsood Imran added that they started deliberating after the Supreme Court judgement’s implementation on May 5. “There had been a 2005 Supreme Court order originally. Everyone, not just mosques, was asked not to use loudspeakers from 10 pm to 6 am. ” he said.