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While leaders of minority religious communities have agreed to the
"spirit" of the recent order of the Calcutta High Court restricting
the use of microphones in places of worship, those belonging to the
Muslim community in ding certain Imams have expressed
"difficulties" in abiding the court directives and plan to appeal
against the order.
Leaders of the Muslim, Christian and Sikh communities discussed the
implications of the court order with the Chief Minister at Writers'
Buildings here yesterday. Leaders of the Ramakrishna Misson order
were also invited but expressed their disability to attend.
The views expressed by the different leaders and the steps the
State Government proposes to take to resolve the difficulties
raised will be conveyed by the State authorities to the Calcutta
High Court within a day or two.
As for the execution of the court order, the State Government did
not wish to hasten matters but instead hoped to build up a
consensus on the subject. The order directs that the use of
microphones will not be allowed between 6 pm and 7 am during the
period of the Mahdyamik and Higher Secondary examinations. In a
related directive issued by the court earlier the sound level in
public areas should be brought down to permissible limits. The
State authorities would discuss with different leaders of the
Opposition parties a similar court directive restricting rallies at
Esplanade East, Saheed Minar and the Brigade Parade Ground.
Mr Jyoti Basu told reporters after the meeting that the State
Government had no intentions on taking any unilateral decision
regarding the court order. He said that though the co-operation of
the religious leaders had been sought, they were requested to
restrict the use of microphones in places of worship.
Some leaders of the muslim communities were of the view that the
order be waived for the period when the azan prayers are on. The
prayers are read into microphone five times a day for a total
period of ten minutes so that they could be audible to as many
people as possible, said Mohd Quasim Alvi, Imam of the Lal Masjid
mosque in Metiabruz. Mr Siddique Kulla Chowdhury, secretary, West
Bengal State's Jamiat-e-ulima agreed.
The imams of the different mosques of the city and its surburbs
will get together to discuss the ramifications of the court order.
The Sikhs too will be seeking special permission from the State
authorities for the use of microphones during their three religious
festivals held each year. A spokesman of the Gurdwara Sangh
Committee who attended the meeting said that if the permission was
not granted then the directive would be accepted. A Christian
leader said that the order did not affect the community as bells
pealing in churches do not create noise pollution.
The State's Home (Police) Minister, Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharya, said
that though the muslim leaders including the Imam of the Nakhoda
mosque supported the court's directives, the latter mentioned
certain 'problems'. relating to restrictions on the decibel levels.
"We listened to the difficulties expressed; there is already a
petition filed in the Supreme Court relating to the matter. The
State Government was considering the ground realities and also the
sentiments of leaders of different religious faiths but the rules
of the land have to be followed," the Minister added.
Among others who attended the day's meeting were the Minister for
Environment, Mr Manab Mukherjee and the. Minister for Religious
Minorities Affairs, Mohd Amin.
Asked why leaders of the Hindu community were not invited to the
meeting Mr Bhattacharya said, "it is important to first listen to
the views of the minorities. As for the Hindus we will seek their
opinion later."
The Congress leader, Mr Abdul Mannan, said that the High Court
should not impinge on the fundamental rights, of the people. If
necessary the law should be changed, he added while commenting on
the court directive. The Congress would oppose the order, he added.
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