Efforts of Hindu Vidhidhnya Parishad Advocates to stop illegal loudspeakers on mosques in Bengaluru successful

Bengaluru (Karnataka) – There are two mosques one kilometre away from Advocates’ associates at Malleshwaram, Bengaluru. The mosques were creating continuous noise pollution through loudspeakers five times a day, starting from 5.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m.

The noise from these loudspeakers was continuously causing serious mental agony to elderly citizens and patients suffering from various diseases. Additionally, the noise was also seriously causing intolerable disturbance to students in the area, besides noise pollution.

A Government primary school and KC General hospital are situated nearby and the noise caused by the mosques’ loudspeakers had been affecting hundreds of students and patients in the area.

Advocates of Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad (HVP) filed an application under the RTI Act seeking information on the permission granted to the aforesaid mosques to use loudspeakers every day. The Police station replied on 2^nd November 2020 that no documents are available with them and no complaints have been lodged by the people about noise pollution from the mosques.

Therefore, HVP Advocates wanted to lodge a complaint under Section 37 and 109 of the Karnataka Police Act 1963 in the interest of the public at large.

They also thought of filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the High court of Karnataka. In this regard, HVP requested many people and Hindu organisations to join hands. But most of them backed out expressing their fear that the Muslims will unite and pelt stones at their houses. This shows that there is a lack of commitment and dedication among Hindus.

In the mean time, Adv. GM Nataraj had to go to his village. When he came back, he found the noise from the mosques had been stopped. It was realised that based on the RTI application, the Police became active and stopped the use of loudspeakers from the related mosques. Thus, with God’s grace, the efforts made by Adv. GM Nataraj proved to be successful.