In a significant ruling, the Gujarat High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Bajrang Dal leader Shaktisinh Zala seeking a ban on loudspeakers at mosques for Azaan. The court, in its decision, stated that the use of loudspeakers for Azaan does not contribute to noise pollution.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha P Mayee dismissed the PIL, terming it as “wholly misconceived.” The court observed that the petitioner’s claim that the human voice making Azaan through loudspeakers in the morning could achieve the decibel level to the extent of creating noise pollution was erroneous.
Questioning the petitioner’s lawyer, the court further stated that early morning aarti with drums and music in temples also causes noise, and whether the noise of ghanta (bell) and ghadiyal (gong) remains confined to temple premises only. The bench emphasized that it would not entertain such PILs that target specific religious practices.
The court’s decision has been welcomed by the Muslim community in Gujarat, who have been facing increasing pressure to restrict the use of loudspeakers for Azaan. The ruling upholds the right to religious freedom and ensures that religious practices can be carried out without undue interference.
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