A Muslim delegation led by Shahar Qazi Mohammad Ishrat Ali met with District Collector Ashish Singh to express their objections to the removal of loudspeakers from religious places, while DJ parties with loud music continued unabated.
The Indore administration has removed 437 loudspeakers from 258 religious places across the city over the past two days. The action, which affected places of worship from various communities, was carried out in compliance with orders from the Madhya Pradesh government, according to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotiya.
"Be it temples or mosques, loudspeakers have been removed from all the religious places in the city. We demand loudspeakers be allowed in religious places within the permissible noise limit as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court," Ali stated. He further questioned the selective implementation of the noise restrictions, urging a more balanced approach.
The directive follows a mandate issued by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, aimed at regulating noise levels in public spaces, particularly those associated with religious gatherings. Yadav, who has prioritized noise control since assuming authority, had earlier banned loudspeakers and DJs at religious and public events if their volume exceeded prescribed limits.
Dandotiya emphasized that the administration conducted the operation after consultations with the respective committees of temples and mosques. He further appealed to the management of these religious places to refrain from using loudspeakers in the future, aligning with the Supreme Court's guidelines on permissible noise levels.
Responding to these concerns, District Magistrate Ashish Singh reiterated that the action was in strict accordance with state government directives and stressed the need for compliance from all quarters.