From Maharashtra to Uttar Pradesh, the ongoing row over the use of loudspeakers at religious places is heating up. Now, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference Vice-President, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday weighed in on the loudspeaker row.
"Why can't loudspeakers be allowed at mosques when they're being used in other places? We're being told that halal meat shouldn't be sold. Why? We aren't saying mics shouldn't be installed at temples, gurudwaras. You don't like only all that we do," news agency ANI quoted Abdullah as saying.
Abdullah also said the people should have the freedom to follow their religion the way they want as India is a secular country. He added that the government should not interfere.
"We are a secular country. People should have the freedom to follow their religion the way they want. No government should interfere in how people follow their religion," he said.
Meanwhile, a drive is underway in Uttar Pradesh to remove loudspeakers from religious places.
Over 6,000 loudspeakers were removed from religious places and volume of other 30,000 was set to permissible limits across Uttar Pradesh following a government order, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said on Wednesday.
A statewide drive is being undertaken to remove loudspeakers from religious places and set their volume within permissible limits, he said.
"Under this exercise, a total of 6,031 loudspeakers were removed and volume of 29,674 loudspeakers was set within permissible limits till Wednesday afternoon," he added.
