Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Apr 6: Former Member of Parliament and BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has escalated his campaign against the use of unauthorized loudspeakers at religious sites, filing a formal police complaint concerning 72 mosques in the Mankhurd Govandi suburb of eastern Mumbai.
During a visit to the area under the jurisdiction of the Shivajinagar Police Station, Govandi, on Saturday, Somaiya submitted his complaint, citing information obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) query. The RTI response reportedly confirmed that 72 mosques in the vicinity were operating loudspeakers without the requisite police permissions.
"I have lodged a complaint at the police station. Unauthorised loudspeakers have been installed on 72 mosques in Govandi, which are without police approval. I have demanded immediate action from the officials on this," Somaiya stated.
For several months, Somaiya, a former Lok Sabha MP, has been vocal about the issue, actively campaigning against the use of illegal loudspeakers at mosques across various Mumbai neighborhoods. He contends that the amplified noise emanating from these religious premises not only violates established regulations but also poses a significant disturbance to residents living in surrounding areas.
In a post shared on the social media platform X, Somaiya included a copy of the RTI response, which corroborated the presence of illegal loudspeakers within the Shivajinagar Police Station area and adjacent colonies.
"Loudspeakers are used illegally by 72 mosques in Shivajinagar Police Station area. Police permission has not been given to any of these 72 masjids to use loudspeakers," he asserted.
The RTI application sought details regarding the number of mosques in the Deonar, Shivajinagar, and Tilaknagar police station areas utilizing loudspeakers. It also inquired about the number of mosques granted permission to use loudspeakers by the police between January 1, 2024, and February 17, 2025.
The police response, signed by officers Bapurao Deshmukh, Mahesh Patil, Deepak Mahadik, and Vikrant Shide, confirmed, "No permission has been given from Shivajinagar Police Station to install loudspeakers on mosques during the specified period in the application."
The police reply also clarified that no complaint had been received during the specified period in the application regarding the presence of loudspeakers on 72 mosques in Shivajinagar police station area and unauthorised loud loudspeakers being played.
Somaiya has also raised concerns about the presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Maharashtra. He claims to have investigated the issue across various regions, from Akola to Latur, and has publicly voiced his concerns. Recently, he alleged that intruders had obtained Indian birth certificates using fraudulent Aadhaar cards, forged documents, and false affidavits.
Somaiya's demand for action on the illegal use of loudspeakers follows a similar enforcement effort in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, where police filed FIRs against mosque imams for exceeding permissible noise levels. Subsequently, authorities removed loudspeakers from the Shahi Jama Masjid and other mosques in Sambhal, acting on an Allahabad High Court directive aimed at controlling noise pollution.