Loudspeaker removal falls in Delhi Police remit: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) agrees with the removal of loudspeakers from all religious places in the national capital, Delhi’s ruling party said in a statement on Tuesday, even as it said the onus was on the state police, saying the issue is a subject that is under the Delhi Police’s jurisdiction.

The statement came after Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Adesh Gupta wrote to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday seeking the removal of loudspeakers from religious places across the Capital to check sound pollution, which he claimed was making people “sick”.

Referring to the Supreme Court guidelines that barred the use of loudspeakers in public places between 10pm and 6am, Gupta demanded that loudspeakers be taken down from all religious places. He also claimed that “temples do not cause noise pollution because prayers are recited within the temple premises”.

The Delhi BJP chief also held a press conference on Tuesday to highlight his demand and said even in Muslim countries such as Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, using loudspeakers in mosques was a punishable offence.

The issue of loudspeakers in religious places has triggered a political controversy in Uttar Pradesh, where the government launched a loudspeaker removal drive last month to take down thousands of loudspeakers from religious places and, more recently, in Maharashtra, where Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has handed the state government “an ultimatum” to remove loudspeakers from religious places, especially mosques, by May 3.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the AAP, even as it voiced it support for the removal of loudspeakers, said the BJP should ask the Delhi Police for action.

“The Aam Aadmi Party in principle agrees with the concept of repealing loudspeakers from every religious institution and centres of faith alike. The matter is subject to Delhi Police’s jurisdiction which comes under the BJP’s Central government. Thus, we urge the BJP to seek action on the same from the Delhi Police itself,” the party said.

On Tuesday, Gupta claimed Delhi has become the most polluted capital in the world and noise pollution was a major factor for this. He said noise pollution causes heart disease, high blood pressure, irritation, loss of hearing and sleep disturbances and many people are already suffering from these problems.

“Not only in India but even in Muslim countries, strict rules have been made for this. In May last, a law was passed in Saudi Arabia banning the use of loudspeakers in mosques and strict action was also ordered against those violating it. In February, a circular was issued in Indonesia in which the volume limit of loudspeakers was fixed at 100 decibels. Even the Supreme Court has banned the use of loudspeakers from 10pm to 6am,” Gupta said.