Allahabad University Vice-Chancellor Professor Sangita Srivastava has written a letter to DM seeking the ban of morning azaan on the loudspeaker. She states that it disturbs and affects her work efficiency.
According to a report, she wrote in her letter that the call for morning azaan from a nearby mosque disturbs her sleep at 5:30 in the morning. Moreover, she wrote that she cannot sleep after this and suffer from a headache throughout the day.
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The Allahabad University VC has requested the district magistrate to restrict the Allahabad Civil Lines mosque from using loudspeakers for morning azaan.
Prof Sangita Srivastava wrote – there is an old saying ‘your freedom ends where my nose begins. This adage holds here. She also said that I am not against any caste, religion, or creed. Azan may perform without loudspeakers so that others may not be disturbed. They announce Sehri at sharp 4:00 is in the morning on the mike even before Eid. All these practices create disturbances for other people. The Indian constitution anticipates a peaceful and secular co-existence of each community, which needs to be practised.
What Allahabad High Court has said?
The Allahabad high court had said, “No religion prescribes that prayers are required to be performed through voice amplifiers or by beating of drums, if there is such a practice, it should not adversely affect rights of the others, including that of not being disturbed.”
In January 2020, the Allahabad High Court passed a rule stating that no religion should use loudspeakers for worship. A petitioner challenged this order in the Jaunpur district, where using loudspeaker for azaan got banned.
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In Allahabad VC’s case, the DIG of Prayagraj Sarvashresth Tripathi and DM Bhanu Chandra Goswami has confirmed that an application is received against the ban of morning azaan on loudspeakers from the Allahabad University VC.
Imam of Lucknow Idgah has his say on Allahabad University VC Letter
In response to Allahabad University Vice-Chancellor Sangeeta Srivastava letter to ban loudspeakers for morning azaan, the President of the Islamic Center of India and Imam of Lucknow Idgah says that even the morning kirtan is wrong. The Allahabad University VC should withdraw her complaint. Also, he strongly objected to this complaint saying that the VC should know that the Ganga is famous for Jamuni Tehzeeb. All the people of India owe and respect each other. That’s why; the sound of Kirtan or the sound of the azaan reverberates in the Fiza. If no one ever had issues with this then it is of no use to do such things.
However, the mosque committee has now removed the loudspeakers on the tower from the house of Sangeetha Srivastava. Also, the volume is reduced.
