Amid controversy, UP government removes 6,000 loudspeakers from religious sites in 72 hours

After the controversy sparked in Maharashtra due to the loudspeaker row, the Uttar Pradesh government decided to crack down on the illegal usage of speakers. As many as 6,000 speakers have been removed from religious sites in UP in the last 72 hours.

Apart from the removal of many loudspeakers, the UP government has also set the decibel limit for over 30,000 speakers in religious sites like mosques and temples. The authorities are currently conducting a state-wide drive to remove illegal speakers from the premises of religious sites.

The authorities have said that loudspeakers are being removed from all types of religious places without any discrimination. Under this exercise, a total of 6,031 loudspeakers were removed and a volume of 29,674 loudspeakers was set within permissible limits till Wednesday afternoon, as per PTI reports.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar told PTI, “The loudspeakers which are being removed are unauthorized. Those loudspeakers which have been placed without taking due permission from the district administration or the ones which are placed in excess of the permitted numbers are categorised as unauthorized.”

The action followed after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during a review meeting on law and order with senior officials here last week, said people have the freedom to perform their religious practices according to their faith.

"Though microphones can be used, it should be ensured that the sound does not come out of any premises. People should not face any problem,” he had said. The home department has also sought a compliance report from the districts over the removal of loudspeakers at religious places by April 30.

This comes as Maharashtra remains embroiled in a row about the removal of loudspeakers from the premises. MNS leader Raj Thackeray demanded that all loudspeakers from mosques be removed by May 3 or his party workers will chant Hanuman Chalisa outside the mosques.

Further, the Maharashtra government, led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has criticized the statements by Raj Thackeray. Opposition parties in Maharashtra, such as BJP, have criticized the “childish” decisions of Shiv Sena.

(With PTI inputs)

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