Loudspeakers at religious places unacceptable: Adityanath

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said loudspeakers are being reinstalled at religious places in some districts months after they were ordered to be removed, a development he described as "unacceptable".

According to a government statement, he asked officials to take appropriate action through "immediate contact and communication" with people. Adityanath, who reviewed law and order situation in the state in a meeting with officials from all levels on Friday night, also directed them to make arrangements for peaceful Christmas celebrations, but ensure no religious conversion takes place.

"A few months ago... we had completed an unprecedented process of removing loudspeakers from religious places. Giving priority to the larger public interest, people spontaneously removed loudspeakers. It was appreciated all over the country," the chief minister was quoted as saying in the statement. He further said that during his recent visits he "experienced that these loudspeakers are being installed again in some districts".

"This is not acceptable," the official release quoting the CM said on Saturday. "Ideal situations should be created by having immediate contact and communication." Earlier this year in April, the state government had undertaken a campaign to remove loudspeakers from religious places.

Later in a review meeting in May, Chief Minister Adityanath had said more than one lakh loudspeakers were removed. He had directed officials to ensure they are not reinstalled. He had said religious events should take place within the premises of religious places, no festival should be organised on roads and they should not cause any inconvenience to the movement of ordinary citizens.