BENGALURU: The government in the Indian state of Karnataka is all set to strictly implement ban on Azaan through loudspeakers.
The move is likely to add to the existing social unrest in the state. Karnataka Chief Minister, Basavaraj Bommai, and the state DG and IGP Praveen Sood made it clear on Friday that everyone should follow the law in this regard.
Bommai said instructions have been issued for resolving the Azaan issue harmoniously through holding peace committee meetings at the police station level. He said, the process is going on and everyone should follow the law.
“There is a High Court order on Azaan. A circular has already been issued in accordance with that. The rule also specifies the decibel level. The DG has already issued the circular,” he stated.
IGP Praveen Sood had stated that as per the rule, notices have been issued to mosques and other places where speakers are used.
“We will not allow violation of the High Court rule at any cost. The police have issued notices across the state,” he stated.
Media reports quoting sources in the police department, however, said that any action against a mosque or a temple for use of speakers would result in chaotic consequences for the state.
Meanwhile, the founder of extremist Hindu organization Sri Ram Sena, Pramod Muthalik, has stated that he has launched an “Azaan se Azadi” campaign in the state. He had demanded that the government should ensure ban on performing of Azaan on loudspeakers in the mosques.
Ban on Halal products demanded across India
Meanwhile, a plea has been moved in the Indian Supreme Court seeking a ban across India on Halal certified products and also withdrawal of Halal certification.
The plea by advocate Vibhor Anand, maintained that the Muslim minority, which is 15 per cent of the population, wants to consume ‘Halal’ meat and the same is being forced upon the rest 85 per cent of the people.
“Now, this ‘Halal’ certification is not restricted to meat, but it has been extended to even food items, cosmetics, medicines, hospitals, housing societies and malls. It includes snacks, sweets, grains, oils, cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, toothpastes, nail polish, lipsticks, etc,” it said.
The plea stated that the acceptance of Halal certification by private organisations like Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind and few others mean that the existing government certification like ISI (Indian Standards Institution) and FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) on consumer products is not enough. It claimed that the Halal certification of products is discriminatory towards other communities.
The plea said people who may not be comfortable with halal meat, or for people with religions where only jhatka meat is allowed, no longer have any choice in the matter.
The plea urged the top court to issue direction to the Indian government to declare all the certificates issued by various organisations as null and void and also direct the government to impose a ban on all products which have been Halal certified.
