By Jose Kavi
Lucknow, May 2, 2022: Some Catholic leaders in Uttar Pradesh have welcomed a government drive to remove loud speakers from religious places in the northern Indian state.
“If the government is doing it in a non-partisan way and without religious prejudices, it is to be appreciated,” says Father Anand Mathew, who quoted some reports to point out that majority of the loudspeakers removed in the past decades were from the Hindu temple tops.
The Uttar Pradesh government on April 25 began a statewide drive to remove unauthorized loudspeakers from religious places and set the volume of others within permissible limits.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar told reporters that by May 1 morning they have removed a total of 53,942 loudspeakers and set the volume of 60,295 loudspeakers within permissible limits.
Kumar clarified that they are removing the loudspeakers from all religious places without any discrimination.
Meanwhile a senior home department official confirmed that the drive will continue in the coming days.
Those loudspeakers which have been placed without taking due permission from the district administration or the ones which are placed in excess of the permitted numbers are categorized as unauthorized, Kumar explained.
He said the administration also considered the High Court order regarding loudspeakers.
After a 2017 government order on the matter, the High Court had asked it if loudspeakers at religious and public places were installed after taking permission in writing from authorities referring to the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.
The latest drive began after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during a review meeting in April, said that people have the freedom to perform their religious practices according to their faith. “Though microphones can be used, it should be ensured that the sound does not come out of any premises. People should not face any problem,” he had said.
Father Mathew, who promotes interreligious harmony based in Varanasi, told Matters India that he has not heard of churches being targeted in the present campaign.
However, the Uttar the UP government had failed to restrict loudspeakers blasting devotional and sometimes communal messages out of a religious zeal, said the member of the Indian Missionary Society.
Another Christian leader in the state, chhotebhai says churches normally do not use a public address system that goes outside their premises.
the Kanpur-based convener of Indian Christian Forum, a laity movement, questions the timing of the current drive.
“The only suspicious aspect is why was this done during Ramzan and just before Eid? Also why there is no ban on loudspeakers and bands during barats (marriage processions? Are they also not a nuisance and causing sound pollution?” asked the former national president of the All India Catholic Union.
Father Mathew says churches in Uttar Pradesh had a tradition of broadcasting hymns through loud speakers in the morning hours.
“There used to be an atmosphere of a pride (almost close to arrogance) in blasting our Christian devotional songs in a non-Christian milieu. But this trend has changed in the recent past, and I think it’s a welcome change. We should never cause difficulties for people of other faiths.
Removing Loudspeakers from all religious places is welcome. No discrimination against this or that religion. If that is the case it is a welcome move. Government and Courts moves/orders must be applicable to all.
It should not have taken a Yogi to do this. Places of worship should have disciplined themselves not to have turned into a source of nuisance to public at large. Not only Muslims but also other communities must take note and observe law. The same thing must be made applicable to crackers during Diwali and other once in a year festivals.
I remember in 2000 the law In Indian came to stop public sound pollution. Mumbai archbishop was very zealous. That Christmas there was no crackers in the Mumbai churches because of the stricter order of the bishop and also in the Easter. I felt very bad that time. Our celebrations gradually became dead without any sound…Catholics became soundless in India through these orders of the bishops, Expect in charismatic retreats.. That is the reason by charismatic movement got more approval amidst normal and common public. Same time Changanacherry Archbishop asked to not use song records in houses where dead body is kept before burial. In fact it was very awkward… Office of the dead and other emotional songs for departed soul was a part of culture in Kerala, without which we couldn’t understand to be human in a family when someone dies, where bishops usually don’t visits as normal human expressions.
All throughout these years I used to think Indian Christians are neurotics about certain laws and it’s implement ion. Almost Every parish churches in India had laud speakers before AD 2000.
All Catholics obeyed neurotic order and stopped all sounds in the church expect parish counsels clash sound. but Hindus and Muslims waited for it’s due execution by govt. Because it matters a lot in gathering the people of God in parishes. It prepared people to come to devotional centers. It was one of the best communication methods in the Indian society. People learned devotional songs through it Irrespective of religion and caste.
I feel pity for the bishops who stopped church loud speakers 20 years before govt really meant it. Catholics lost culture in India from 3rd millennium. they live now in ideals (European) without human feelings and folkways. Bishop’s are selected from intellectuals without connection with human life. Indian Catholicism is on it Zeroisation.