Controversy surfaces over ‘Azan’ in India

According to details, Allahabad Central University vice-chancellor Prof Sangita Srivastava lodged a complaint with the district administration asking to ban Fajr Azan. In a complaint filed with the local administration vice-chancellor said that every morning at 5.30 am her sleep is disturbed by the loud call for prayer which causes her headache and ultimately affects her work.

Srivastava further said that he was not against any religion, caste or race but it was necessary to find a solution to this problem.

The vice chancellor has not only lodged a complaint for banning the Azan but also demanded to bar various loud announcements during Ramadan.

In a letter titled “Noise Pollution in Civil Lines, Prayagraj,” professor complained about the noise pollution from Lal Masjid located just 400 metres from the V-C’s residence in Civil Lines.

“This is to bring to your kind notice that every morning at about 5.30 am my sleep is disturbed due to loud azan done on the mike by the maulvi in the surrounding mosque. The sleep so disturbed does not resume even after trying hard. This also results in a headache, throughout the day, causing losses in work hours,” she said in the letter addressed to senior officials.

“An old adage says ‘your freedom ends where my nose begins’ this holds true here. I am not against any religion, caste or creed, they may even perform the Azan without the mike, so that others are not disturbed. The Constitution of India envisages a secular and peaceful co-existence of all communities, which needs to be practised in letter and spirit,” the letter added.

She also quoted the judgement of Allahabad high court which stated that recitation of azan (call to prayer) through loudspeakers or other sound-amplifying devices cannot be said to be an integral part of the religion, reported Indian media.

Meanwhile, the mosque management turned down the loudspeaker after the vice chancellor's complaint, while Speaker’s direction was diverted from the vice chancellor's residence.

Mosque caretaker said, “We have reduced the volume of the speaker by more than 50 per cent from Tuesday and have turned it away. We decided to take the step as we felt that if someone is having an issue with it in their personal life, then they should not have to face it,”

Despite this, various political parties staged demonstrations in the city against the ban on the call to prayer.

On the other hand, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, a representative body of Indian Muslims, criticised the vice-chancellor's complaint, saying that people in India respect each other's religious sentiments. Therefore, it is better not to spread the wind of extremism with these words.