Playback singer Anuradha Paudwal has sought a ban on loudspeakers for azān. The singer, who has given her voice to thousands of popular songs, mostly for the brand T Series of the late Gulshan Kumar, said this practice was unnecessary in India.
The singer said, “I have visited many places in the world. I have not seen anything like this happening except in India. I am not against any religion, but it is being forcibly encouraged here. They play azān on loudspeakers from mosque. Other communities question if they can use loudspeakers. Why cannot others do the same?”
The singer said in an interview with Zee News, “I have travelled to Middle Eastern countries. There is a ban on loudspeakers. When Muslim countries are discouraging it, what is the need for such practices in India?” Paudwal said if the practice continued, people would start playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. “It will lead to disharmony, which is not good.”
The comment by the singer came soon after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena head Raj Thackeray’s challenge to the Islamic community in Mumbai where the party workers played Hanuman Chalisa and dared Muslims to play azān on loudspeakers again, which would every time be matched with equally loud Hanuman Chalisa chanting on mikes.
The MNS leader was detained by Mumbai Police for playing Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker without any permission. After the arrest he had said, that the Mumbai police took away the speaker. “But I’d like to say, in the coming times, ‘Jai Sri Ram’ will be played on loudspeakers,” he said.
Paudwal shared her views on teaching the young generation about the importance of Indian culture too. She said that it was the responsibility of the older generation to teach children about the culture of the country.
“This is why we should know about our religion and culture. We should know the four Vedas, 18 Puranas and four mutts that we have. These are the basics that we must know,” the singer said.
In 2017, another popular singer Sonu Nigam, who recently received a Padma Shri award, had raised his voice against azān on loudspeakers. In a tweet before he left Twitter, he had expressed his displeasure at hearing azān on loudspeaker every morning. The singer had faced massive trolling after his daring tweet.
The judiciary has, on several occasions, directed the authorities to remove loudspeakers from places of worship but no significant action has been taken.
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