Loudspeaker row nonsense, I wouldn’t interfere in religious practices: Nitish Kumar

Even as loudspeakers have become the new instrument of communal strife in many states, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called the entire debate about its usage as nonsense, adding that his government wouldn’t impose a ban on it as it believes in giving space to all religious.

“Let us not talk about this nonsense. It is known to all that in Bihar we do not interfere in religious practices of any sort. Of course, some people think it is their business to make a fuss and they keep at it,” Kumar said while he was in Purnea to launch the greenfield grain-based ethanol plant, the first in the country, on Saturday.

The statement of Kumar, whose party is in alliance with the BJP in Bihar, is being read as a direct snub at the saffron party’s pitch to ban the use of loudspeakers at religious place. Recently, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh imposed a ban on “illegal” and “unauthorised” loudspeakers in the state while setting a limit for volume levels for loudspeakers which are allowed to be used. The Yogi government argues that the step has been taken to curb noise pollution in the state, while the Muslim community dubs it as a ploy to muzzle their voice.

While the Raj Thackeray-led MNS is also batting for a similar ban in Maharashtra, it has found support in the BJP.

A few BJP leaders in Bihar including cabinet minister Janak Ram have also demanded for the same model as Uttar Pradesh to be implemented in the state.