UP-like drive to remove loudspeakers sought in other states

The Uttar Pradesh government's drive to remove/regulate use of loudspeakers installed atop religious establishments, as per the guidelines of the High Court, is creating a ripple effect in different parts of the country with the Opposition BJP in Maharashtra demanding the same rule to be implemented in the state and Assam CM Himanta Biswas Sarma stating that loudspeakers should be shut if found to be a nuisance, especially for students.

While CM Yogi Adityanath reiterated that "ugly public display of faith to inconvenience others" is not acceptable, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav called the drive a "ploy" to distract people from Joblessness and farm distress.

In a week, 21,963 loudspeakers have been removed from religious places. Further, the volume of 42,332 loudspeakers has been regulated.





ATTACK ON MVA
On Thursday, MNS Chief Raj Thackeray tweeted, "I wholeheartedly congratulate and stand grateful to the Yogi government for having removed the loudspeakers from religious places, especially the masjids. Unfortunately in Maharashtra, we don't have any 'yogis'; what we have are 'bhogis' (hedonists). Here's hoping and praying good sense prevails."

ACTION IF NEEDED: SARMA
Assam CM Sarma felt that loudspeakers are not an integral part of any religion and if there are complaints, a secular state should shut them.

NO CURBS IN MP yet
The Madhya Pradesh government has not issued any orders to restrict the use of loudspeakers, but a few BJP, including Uma Bharti, and some Congress leaders have demanded that a UP-like restriction be imposed in MP.

BAN IN UTTARAKHAND
The Uttarakhand government has also decided to control use of loudspeakers.