Patna: Temple and mosque show mutual reverence, with loudspeakers

Patna (Bihar) [India], May 1 (ANI): Amid the loudspeaker row in parts of the country, a temple and a mosque in Patna co-exist, exhibiting communal harmony, while respecting each other’s prayers and ceremonies.
The temple and mosque are just 50-meter apart.
While the temple turns off its loudspeakers during Azaan, the mosque equally takes care of the temple devotees as a mark of mutual reverence towards each other.
Speaking to ANI, Patna Mosque Chairman Faisal Imam said that the temple turns off the loudspeakers during Azaan as a mark of respect.
He also said that the mosque offered Sharbat to the devotees visiting the temple on the occasion of Ram Navami.
“We offered Sharbat to devotees coming to the temple on Ram Navami as they queued in front of the mosque. Loudspeakers in the temple play Bhajan-Kirtan throughout the day but are turned off during Azaan as a mark of respect. There’s a sense of amity,” Imam said.
Likewise, the Chairman of Patna’s Mahavir Mandir Kishor Kunal told ANI that they (people at the temple and mosque) often help each other and maintain brotherhood.
“Neither we have a problem with Azaan nor do they have an issue with Bhajan-Kirtan. We maintain brotherhood among us and often help each other,” Kunal said.
Throughout the loudspeaker row, the Chief Minister of the state, Nitish Kumar has maintained a clear stand on the issue and has reiterated time and again that his government will “never indulge in such politics” or interfere in any religion.
Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, as many as 53,942 loudspeakers have been uninstalled from various religious places till 7.00 am on Sunday, following the direction of the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government.
Prior to this announcement, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued directions for restricting the volume of loudspeakers at religious places, earlier this month.
While in Maharashtra, on April 13, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray gave an ultimatum to the state government and reiterated his demand that loudspeakers from mosques be removed. (ANI)