Sonu Nigam Azaan tweet: HC backs singer, says loudspeakers not an integral part o Islam

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday rejected a petition filed against Bollywood Singer Sonu Nigam for criticising sermons from the loudspeakers, saying that Azaan is an integral part of Islamic worship and not loudspeakers.

Chandigarh, May 3: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday rejected a petition filed against Bollywood Singer Sonu Nigam for criticising sermons from the loudspeakers, saying that Azaan is an integral part of Islamic worship and not loudspeakers.

If a report in Hindustan Times is to be believed, the observation was made by a single-judge bench comprising justice MMS Bedi.

The petition was filed by a resident of Haryana’s Sonepat district Aas Mohammad who sought a criminal proceedings against Nigam. In his petition, he had said that the tweets posted by the singer violated the Muslim community’s fundamental right to manage religious affairs.

However, the judge, while referring to various judgement, termed the petition as a ‘cheap’ attempt to gain publicity. “A fair interpretation of the words used by respondent no 4 (Nigam) clearly indicates that the word ‘gundagardi’ in tweet no 4 is not addressed in the context of Azaan but the use of loudspeakers and amplifiers,” said the court as claimed by the report.

Further, Justice Sampath observed that the words used in the tweet were not meant to insult any religion or religious. “No religion prescribes blaring prayers through sound amplifiers,” Sampath added further.

Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam found himself in the midst of controversy after he described the loud sermons from the loudspeakers as hooliganism through posts on micro blogging website Twitter.

Stoking up the controversy, the 43-year-old singer again took to Twitter and asserted that there was no need to fuel it anymore. “Guys, in favour of me and in opposition, let’s agree to agree and disagree. No need to fuel this anymore. Look ahead and move on. Prayers,” Nigam had written.

Days after the building up of the controversy, the actor had also posted a video of the loud call to prayer to prove his point.