Javed Akhtar’s tweet against loudpseakers in being used by mosques and places of worship in residential areas seems to have garnered quite a lot of support on social media. (Source: File Photo) Javed Akhtar’s tweet against loudpseakers in being used by mosques and places of worship in residential areas seems to have garnered quite a lot of support on social media. (Source: File Photo)

Last year, singer Sonu Nigam created a storm online and then offline when he tweeted out in April to say that he doesn’t appreciate being woken up in the morning by the azaan. Going as far as to call it “gundagardi”. Now in 2018, lyricist Javed Akhtar has tweeted out his support (rather belatedly) to the singer and anyone who opposes loudspeakers in mosques or any any place of worship in residential areas. “This is to put on record that I totally agree with all those including Sonu Nigam who want that Loud speakers should not be used by the mosques and for that matter by any place of worship in residential areas,” he tweeted.

This is to put on record that I totally agree with all those including Sonu Nigam who want that Loud speakers should not be used by the mosques and for that matter by any place of worship in residential areas . — Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) February 7, 2018

Last year, the azaan row went on for weeks and even resulted in Nigam shaving his head after a Muslim cleric announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for anyone who will tonsure the singer. At the time, several Bollywood bigwigs added their voice to the controversy, but this new year, the conversation around the issue seems to have been reprised with Akhtar’s tweet. Though, in January, the Uttar Pradesh government had banned the unauthorised use of loudspeakers and public address systems at religious and public places across the state.

Quite unsuprisingly, the tweet ruffled quite a few feathers, with people responding with words of support as well as dissent. “Being a Muslim I don’t have problem with loudspeakers or any religion activity .I respect all religions every religion has it’s own history everyone has a right to practice .i request all use something else to b in limelight leave religions aside,” tweeted one person, while another said, “Im not interested in the Mosque waking me up at 5.30am or the Temple waking me up at 4.30am. God does not need loudspeakers. No religion had loudspeakers as part of its history.”

In response to many of the dissenting voices that called him out, Akhtar later tweeted, “Maen har galat baat Kay Khilaf awaaz uthata hoon . Mushkil yehi hai ke aap dusron ki galti to maan saktay hain Magar apni nahin (I have raised a voice against all wrong practices. The problem is that you can recognise others’ mistakes, but not your own.”

Maen har galat baat Kay Khilaf awaaz uthata hoon . Mushkil yehi hai ke aap dusron ki galti to maan saktay hain Magar apni nahin . — Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) February 7, 2018

Here are some of the other reactions in response to the poet’s tweet:

What’s the need of loudspeaker for calling people to offer prayers? Those who are God fearing will go for prayer without loudspeaker, and those who doesn’t care will not attend prayer even if you put 100 loudspeaker. — Taslim Shaikh (@taslimshaikh) February 7, 2018

Loudspeakers should be banned from all religious places — Abhishek (@abhishek2526) February 7, 2018

Azan is call for prayer and for your information hardly people wake up due to azaan , now you are saying this after few years you will be saying to do forbidden works too need no mention — Race3ThisEid (@SalmansSoldier) February 8, 2018

100% with you. Noice pollution is also pollution. There is nothing religious about it, — rajeev k parashar (@parasharrks) February 7, 2018

Why only places of worship …? Why not night weddings and political events…. can you please answer — taher (@kaderjii) February 7, 2018

Im not interested in the Mosque waking me up at 5.30am or the Temple waking me up at 4.30am. God does not need loudspeakers. No religion had loudspeakers as part of its history. — ? (@Lolovivi_) February 7, 2018

Being a Muslim I don’t have problem with loudspeakers or any religion activity .I respect all religions every religion has it’s own history everyone has a right to practice .i request all use something else to b in limelight leave religions aside — Syed shuja andrabi (@Shujaandrabi2) February 7, 2018

Yes, why alone mosques but wherever loudness becomes noise. — sudhir sharma (@sharma_sudhir87) February 7, 2018

Totally agree. Additionally dj parties in open, which is prevalent for weddings must be banned. It’s inhuman to generate so much sound pollution. Add loud auto horns too — Anupam Trivedi (@trivedianupam) February 8, 2018

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