Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy Sparks Controversy by Comparing Azaan to Firecrackers

Roy alleged that those calling themselves 'secular' are involved in vote bank politics.

Agartala, October 17: Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy on Tuesday sparked fresh controversy when he talked about the recent firecracker ban and compared Azaan to firecracker noise. Roy in his comment dug up the row regarding use of loudspeakers in mosque.

Roy while speaking to ANI alleged that those calling themselves ‘secular’ are involved in vote bank politics. He also said those people calling for a ban on crackers do not talk about ban on Azaan over loudspeakers.

“Either ‘secular crowd’ dabbles in vote-bank politics or their patrons do,they have it on mind when they talk of banning crackers but they don’t talk of banning Azaan over loudspeakers,” the Governor said.

” Islam doesn’t enjoin that Azaan should be broadcast over loudspeakers. There are minarets around mosques & the Muezzin is supposed to go up on minarets and shout Azaan, he’s not supposed to use loudspeakers,” Roy added.

This comment by the Governor comes just two days after a BJP MLA Sangeet Som made comments against Taj Mahal and its Mughal makers which attracted sharp criticism from various fractions.

Several outfits have also protested against the firecracker ban and fourteen people, including three women, were detained on Tuesday for bursting firecrackers outside the Supreme Court to protest the temporary ban on the sale of firecrackers by the Supreme court.