Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mangalore (Agenzia Fides) - In a seemingly provocative act, tended to disturb the harmony between different religious communities in India, the Hindu group "Rashtriya Hindu Andolan", based in Mangalore, has requested that the Muslim call to prayer (Adhan), which is used in mosques around the country in the early hours of the morning, is banned in India. In recent days, activists of various Hindu extremist groups have organized a public protest in Mangalore asking the authorities to enforce the ban. "Every citizen has the right to practice their religion and tradition in India. But the practice should not disturb or harm others", say the organizers of the protest. The protesters claim that "sleep is the birthright of every citizen and the Supreme Court of India has placed restrictions on the use of loudspeakers in public places.
The use of loudspeakers in public places is limited at night. But this limitation is not observed by the use of loudspeakers in mosques that call to prayer in the mosque. It must be stopped".
The Hindu leader Bharat Kranti Sena Pranavananda Swami has announced that the protest will continue "until the absolute prohibition of that ritual comes into force across the country" .
The protest follows a series of incidents in Mangalore in recent days, in which groups of thugs threw stones against two mosques. In another incident, some Hindu extremists entered a madrassa (Islamic religious school) in the village of Vittla, shouting slogans of victory. In other cases, the individual Muslim citizens were beaten by radical militants. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 28/05/2014)
