Recently, Sonu Nigam stoked controversy over his criticism of the azaan calling it “forced religiousness”. The call for prayer seems to, once again, be in the line of fire in India. A Class 6 ICSE textbook having equated the azaan with noise pollution.
The depiction in the science textbook, Integrated Science, led to an online petition and has also been received with backlash on social media.
In ICSE text books,under noise pollution picture of Mosque included along with plane, train n cars. #SonuNigam education board agrees !! pic.twitter.com/VxN1De6cTW
— Mysterious Me (@roykajal) June 29, 2017
6th Std ICSE textbook shows causes of Noise Pollution with d MOSQUE. WT does it mean? AZAAN causes NOISE POLLUTION? #NarendraModi #PMO #HRD pic.twitter.com/eQP19n7Ik6
— Zulqarnain Bhaisaheb (@zulqarnainrhs) July 2, 2017
Outrage after an image in class 6 textbook taught in #ICSE schools shows “mosque” as a source of noise pollution. pic.twitter.com/IMRp1S7w6s
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 2, 2017
The ICSE, however, maintained the board did not publish or prescribe said textbooks, and that schools had to deal with the issue.
Gerry Arathoon, chief executive for Indian School Certificate Examinations said:
If any book with objectionable content is being taught in certain schools. It is for schools and publisher to ensure such a thing does not happen.
Publisher Hemant Gupta said on social media sites:
This is to inform all concerned that we will be changing the picture in subsequent editions of the book.
Gupta added that the diagram on page 202 of its publication consisted of “a structure resembling a portion of a fort and other noise producing objects in a noisy city”.
Recently, the imam of Chandigarh’s Jama Masjid added that the noise of the loudspeakers must not disturb non-Muslims.
We should not bother our neighbours unnecessarily. The volume of our loudspeakers should be brought down to a level that it does not disturb them. I believe that disturbing the neighbours is a nuisance, which is forbidden in Islam.
Hindustan Times quoted Maulana Ajmal Khan as saying.
We strongly condemn this mosque image shown in Indian Text books. Everything is possible during the regime of Modi led government in India. Immediately remove or change with hindus temple with big size ghanta and people involved in early morning bhajan or filmi bhajans are playing in loud speakers. If possible please show open latrine Indians passing their stools at the side of railway tracks. It is also pollution. A long ago one American visited India and traveled to various Indian cities by train when he returned to U.S.A. his friends, colleagues and relatives asked him about how is India. He replied it is full of latrines.
Should have been mecca where Indians are seen playing large size ghanta, bhajans, or open latrine Indians passing their stools inside the compound. Then it would make a good pollution
While I endorse Rafique Khan’s comment I also would like to know Mr Nawaz Sharif’s views. Unless Modi has already had tacit nod from him.
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