'Muslim Central Committee to adhere to Supreme Court guidelines on use of loudspeakers'

The Dakshina Kannada Muslim Central Committee and Udupi District president Al Haj K S Mohammed Masood said that the community will adhere to the guidelines of the Supreme Court with regard to the use of loudspeakers for Azaan in mosques.

The Supreme Court had issued guidelines for using loudspeakers with prescribed decibel levels from 6 am to 10 pm, which will be adhered to, he told media persons in Mangaluru.

“Azaan is an Islamic call to offer prayer at prescribed times of the day and has been followed since the last several centuries. The Muslim Central Committee has directed all the Jamaaths to adhere to the guidelines,” he said.

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No loudspeaker

“As president of the Kudroli Jamiya Masjid, I have directed the Kudroli masjid to completely stop using loudspeakers for the Azaan from Wednesday itself," Masood said.

Owing to the controversy created by Sri Rama Sene Chief Pramod Muthalik on playing Suprabhata and bhajans in Hindu places of worship to counter Azaan, the use of loudspeakers in all the places of worship has been restricted now, he alleged.

Recalling the harmony that prevailed in the district in the past, Masood said during 'Hindu Samajotsava' in Mangaluru, the Muslim Central Committee had offered juice to the participants while during Allahabad High Court judgement on Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid in 2019, the VHP, Bajrang Dal, and Muslim Central Committee had resolved to maintain peace and harmony in the wake of the judgement. “We want peace, harmony and brotherhood to prevail in the society,” he said.

Condemning Muthalik, he said, “His statements on giving a call to counter Azaan were aimed at disrupting peace in the society. There is a need to act against him.”

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Clarification sought

The Muslim Central Committee has written to the government through Deputy Commissioner seeking clarification on whether Sri Ram Sene Chief Pramod Muthalik is permitted to enter Dakshina Kannada as several districts in the state had imposed restrictions on his entry to their respective districts.

“If there is any permission, then why was he given a cordial welcome by Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar during Muthalik’s visit to the latter's chamber?” he asked.

Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar had said “it is common to interact with people who visit me to submit an appeal or memorandum. Muthalik had visited my office while I was about to leave for lunch to discuss an issue related to a structure resembling a Hindu temple in Malali. He had even sought permission to visit Malali. But permission was denied due to the sensitivity of the issue. A representative picture taken on the occasion has been misinterpreted.”