Muslim leaders meet Ajit Pawar over loudspeakers at mosques

A group of Muslim leaders on Wednesday met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, complaining that police were removing loudspeakers from mosques in the state.

NCP leader Nawab Malik told PTI that he, along with former AIMIM MLA Warris Pathan, his party legislator and daughter Sana Malik, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi and others, called on Pawar.

The team told the deputy CM that BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has been demanding the removal of loudspeakers from mosques, and police have started taking action on his complaint.


Pawar said the public should follow permissible decibel limits set by the Bombay High Court, and the police should act if they are flouted.

The Muslim leaders said that police are removing loudspeakers despite mosques sticking to the decibel limits decided by the HC.

Malik, whose party is a partner of the BJP and Shiv Sena in the ruling Mahayuti alliance, said the permissible level for loudspeakers is 55 dB during the daytime and 45 dB at night. No loudspeakers are allowed between 10 pm and 6 am, he added.

In April, Somaiya had led a protest in Mumbai's Mulund area to press for the demand for the removal of illegal loudspeakers from certain mosques, saying they contributed to noise pollution.