Indian Muslims protest police pressure to remove mosque loudspeakers
Community leaders say police are targeting Islamic calls to prayer without legal orders, raising fears of religious repression under Modi government
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Muslim communities in India’s financial capital, Mumbai, are protesting what they describe as a systematic campaign by police to dismantle loudspeakers used in mosques for the Islamic call to prayer — a move many say reflects growing religious repression under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, five Muslim religious institutions have filed a legal petition in the Bombay High Court, accusing police of acting without proper legal authority.
The petition argues that mosque committees have been pressured to remove loudspeakers through verbal threats, without any formal orders or written instructions — in violation of their constitutional rights.
Activists say the targeting of mosques appears selective, as places of worship belonging to other faiths continue to use loudspeakers without interference. They see the campaign as part of a wider trend in India where Islamic practices are being increasingly policed, from prayer gatherings to halal food to religious attire.
In the working-class neighborhood of Govandi, over 200 imams and mosque leaders gathered to push back. Local legislator Abu Asim Azmi urged them to demand written directives from police before complying.
But many reported that officers rely on intimidation rather than law — claiming other mosques have already removed loudspeakers and suggesting consequences if they don’t follow suit.
Imran Qureshi, a mosque committee member, said he refused to remove a loudspeaker after police failed to present any written order. “They mentioned a court ruling,” he said, “but it only limits volume — it doesn’t ban the call to prayer.”
A local civic group, the Govandi Citizens Welfare Forum, also lodged complaints with the police and chief minister’s office, calling the removals unlawful and discriminatory. They noted that no court in India has banned the use of loudspeakers for Islamic prayers.
Some religious leaders believe the crackdown is politically driven. Maulana Abdur Rehman Ziyahee accused police of working closely with members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He pointed to public statements by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya claiming that many mosques had already removed their loudspeakers — a tactic many see as a way to pressure others into compliance without any legal mandate.
Despite mounting outrage, community leaders say they are hesitant to raise the issue in state legislatures, fearing it could trigger political backlash and deepen communal polarization.
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