A controversy erupted in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, following an announcement for Iftar (the breaking of the fast) made through a loudspeaker at a mosque. The incident, which took place in Manakpur Bajaria village under the Syed Nagar Chowki area of Tanda police station, led to protests from members of a Hindutva outfit, resulting in police intervention and the arrest of nine individuals, including the mosque’s imam.
The police removed the loudspeaker from the mosque, calling the announcement through the speaker a “new tradition.”
The mosque in question, which has been serving about 20 Muslim families in the village for 15 to 20 years, became the center of the controversy on Sunday when the imam used the loudspeaker to announce the Iftar.
This act sparked objections from some members of the local Hindu community, who filed a complaint with the police. In response, police personnel from the 112 emergency service arrived at the scene and attempted to mediate between the two groups. However, the situation remained tense, with the protesting group opposing the practice of using the loudspeaker for the Iftar announcement.
The police acted swiftly, arresting nine individuals, including the imam, and registering a case against them. The authorities also removed the loudspeaker from the mosque, citing concerns over public order and potential disturbances. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Atul Kumar Shrivastava commented on the matter, stating, “A dispute arose between two groups after the announcement was made through a loudspeaker at the mosque.
Immediate action was taken, and nine individuals were arrested to maintain law and order.”
The arrests have sparked frustration within the local Muslim community, who point out that announcements for religious events, including Iftar, have been made in many other places without incident.
A local community member, who wished to remain anonymous, questioned why an Iftar announcement was being treated as a “new tradition” when other religious calls, such as the Azaan, are routinely made through loudspeakers.
This story was originally published in muslimmirror.com. Read the full story here.