> Title : Microphones for azaan cause sound pollution : Calcutta HC > Author : Agencies > Publication : Indian Express > Date :April 18, 1997 > > The Calcutta High Court today rejected the prayer of 12 Muslim
organisations > for using microphones during 'azaan' (call for prayer) and the two Ids in a > year. > > A Division Bench comprising Justice B P Banerjee and Justice Vidyanand
said, > the court had passed an order restricting use of microphones at a limited > decibel between 0700 hrs to 2100 and banned its use between 2100 hrs and
0700 > hrs because it thought that the people had the right to sleep and leisure, > which should not be interfered by anyone. > > The petitioners could not satisfy the court that without microphones,
'azaan' > could not be given as it was known to everybody that in the past, for
several > hundred years 'azaan' was given by voice. 'Azaan' was definitely an
integral > and essential part of Muslim religion, but use of microphones was certainly > not an integral part of 'azaan' and its use would create tremendous sound > pollution, the Bench observed. > > The Bench said, when an order was passed, it was applicable to all
religions > all parties and people of the state. The court could not make any > discrimination in the matter of enforcing the order and making a relaxation > in favour of a particular section of the community, which would be against > the concept of secularism. > > There was tension and commotion both inside and outside the court today > during the reading of the order. > > Justice Banerjee later told newsmen that he had received threats to his
life > over telephone and he had heard some people outside the court after he had > passed the order that he would be killed. > >
