'Nonsense': On loudspeaker row, Nitish Kumar says, 'Let's not talk about this'

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday dismissed all the demands by BJP leaders in the state for Bihar to follow the 'Yogi model’ in the loudspeaker controversy. Asserting that his government does not interfere in any religious practices, the chief minister said, “Let's not talk about this nonsense.” Slamming the demands, Nitish Kumar sarcastically said that some people "like to make a fuss”.

“Let us not talk about this nonsense. It is known to all that in Bihar we do not interfere in religious practices of any sort. Of course, some people think it is their business to make a fuss and they keep at it,” the chief minister said while talking to the media, reported PTI.

Several BJP leaders in the state have been demanding Bihar follow the footsteps of Yogi Adityanath over the removal of loudspeakers from places of worship - citing hazards posed by high decibel sounds.

Also read: UP govt sets loudspeaker volume and usage limit for places of worship: report

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has removed over 11,000 loudspeakers in religious places - including temples, mosques, gurudwaras - while the volume of another 35,000 loudspeakers has been lowered to the permissible levels. Mathura's Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi was the first one to remove its loudspeakers as it had decided not to broadcast its Mangalacharan Aarti via loudspeakers.

The UP chief minister had said that no religious procession in the state should be undertaken without prior permission and that loudspeakers should not cause inconvenience to others.

Also read: Raj Thackeray hails Yogi Adityanath for removing loudspeakers; says, ‘Maharashtra only has...'

Meanwhile, as per the new set of guidelines, loudspeakers playing at a shrine should not go outside the premises. If the said order is violated by anyone, the authorities will have a right to remove the loudspeaker from the place of worship in question.

The decision to limit the use of loudspeakers at religious places came after several places had reported incidents of violence during the religious processions on the occasions of Ram Navami, as well as on Hanuman Jayanti.

(With inputs from PTI)