By Hamza Khan
Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa Tuesday criticised party colleague and MLA Balmukund Acharya’s remarks against loudspeakers in mosques and elsewhere, saying that “we don’t use such indecent language”.
Over the last few days, Balmukund, the Hawa Mahal MLA, has made several statements critical of loudspeakers in mosques. A couple of days ago, at a Holi Milan programme of BJP’s legal cell, the MLA, whose real name is Sanjay Sharma, said, “I have a complaint which will be resolved only through you (lawyers). A lot of us have migraines; we get headaches. The loudspeaker is played five times a day very loudly. The lawyers should please accept my prayer. I appoint you and you should resolve this problem as my lawyers.”
He later claimed that he had received “50-60 complaints” about loudspeakers where the sound was being increased and that there are at least 150 locations in his Assembly constituency facing this problem.
Responding to his remarks, Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra said, “It is our misfortune that such namoone (piece of work) are in our Vidhan Sabha. The people have chosen him for their problems, not for doing Hindu-Muslim or spreading hate or doing nautanki. He should work towards development, employment, and promoting brotherhood among 36 quam (all communities) in his Assembly constituency. But he is just spreading hate. I hope to God that he stays safe and, if needed, his escort should be increased. Because of the kind of things he is doing, you never know when someone’s mind acts out.”
The Hawa Mahal MLA then questioned if Dotasra had hatched a conspiracy to hurt him, “because how do you know there is a threat to my life and I need security?” He said that Dotrasra’s words insulted not only him but also the sanatan. On Tuesday, his supporters protested against Dotasra for calling him a “namoona”.
With bike riders taking out a rally post-Friday prayers, Balmukund also wrote a letter to Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph, claiming that they chanted “anti-national and objectionable” slogans and created chaos along the way. Accompanied by Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s national spokesperson Amitosh Pareek, he also met the Commissioner on Monday and complained to him about the bike rally and the loudspeakers.
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here.