The man behind the controversial statement against ‘azaan’, Uttar Pradesh Minister Anand Swarup Shukla, is back with another stance where he called the ‘burqa’ an ‘evil’ custom. He said that Muslim women will be ‘freed’ from wearing the burqa while comparing it to the triple talaq activity that now stands banned.
The latter was banned in 2019 as part of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, making the practise of ‘triple talaq’ for instant divorce a punishable offence.
In his letter to the Ballia district magistrate, the minister on Wednesday raised objections to the sound of azaan and complained that it is creating hurdles for him to continue with his routine life. He said that his duties are getting hampered due to the loudspeakers of the mosques, adding the proposal of a fixed volume as per the court orders.
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While speaking to the media, Shukla said, “Muslim women will be freed from ‘burqa’ like triple talaq. There will come a time when they will get rid of it. There are many Muslim countries where ‘burqa’ is banned.”
The Minister of Parliamentary Affair, Shukla, called the burqa an “inhuman and evil custom” and further said that people with a progressive mentality are not supporting the custom, they are shunning and not forcing others to practice wearing it, he added.
If anyone is facing difficulties due to the azaan, they should dial ‘112’ and inform the police about it, the minister said in respect to his letter to the district magistrate where he objected to the volume of the call for prayer. Shukla said if the right measures are not taken after complaints to the police, he will go ahead and plan the next step of action.
Opposing the sound of the azaan, Shukla was referring to the Kajipura Madina Masjid of his constituency in his letter. Mentioning the problems he is encountering as a result of the masjid loudspeakers, his letter read, “Namaz is offered five times in a day, and throughout the day. As a result of it, I face problems in doing Yoga, meditation, puja (worship) and discharging government duties.”
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The minister said that there were many schools within the constituencies and the sound from the mosque makes it difficult for students to study.
