Now, Shiv Sena objects to mosque loudspeakers

Mumbai : Stung by the proceedings initiated for violating decibel limits during the Shiv Sena Dussehra rally here Sunday, the party Wednesday hit back asking why action was not being taken against noise pollution created daily by loudspeakers in mosques.

The party mouthpiece Saamna editorially said that every day before dawn, the mosques in the city blare out 'azaan' and wake up the people, children, elders and sick people.

It said that students are disturbed in their studies and the sick people are put to great inconvenience when the loudspeakers scream daily, but nobody has paid attention to that noise pollution.

The editorial demanded why anti-noise pollution crusader Sumaira Abdul Ali is not raising her voice against this -- "Is she not disturbed or bothered by the loudspeakers blaring from the mosques?"

Terming her crusade as a "drama," the Saamna editorial noted that such people only want to smother the voice of the Shiv Sena 'Tiger' which speaks for the Marathis, Hindus and Hidutva.

It said that though it had full respect for the rule of law, "even the law must be reasonable and respect our sentiments".

"The Shiv Sena 'Tiger' needs as much protection as the vanishing breed of the four-legged tigers in the country," it said.

The Sena Tuesday demanded a ban on the burqa, calling the Muslim veil a threat to security interests.

The demands for a ban on the burqa and mosque loudspeakers come close on the heels of the Sena's campaign for removal from the Mumbai University's English literature syllabus a Booker-nominated novel of writer Rohinton Mistry, which was subsequently implemented.

The Mumbai police have registered two separate cases, under the Environment Protection Act and anti-noise pollution laws, against the Shiv Sena for its Dussehra rally which violated the 50 decibel noise level limits imposed by the Bombay High Court.

By IANS,Oct 20,2010