NEW DELHI: They are both equipment of vital use – one can transmit a message over a large distance while the other is a must at construction sites.
However, courtesy the quirks and vagaries of the social scenario, loudspeaker and bulldozer have become key terms in the Indian political lexicon.
In Karnataka, a section of right-wing organisations have demanded ‘bulldozer’-kind of action against those involved in the Hubballi violence. Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said those involved in the incident will be tried as per existing laws.
The bulldozer mode, which has become a favourite of right-wing organisations, is the tough yet controversial stance taken by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath to deal with those allegedly on the wrong side of the law.
BJP’s ‘Bulldozer Baba’ and ‘Bulldozer Mama’
During the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, BJP showcased Adityanath’s tough approach on law and order by referring to him as ‘Bulldozer Baba’.
On occassions, the Adityanath administration had used bulldozers to demolish buildings raised by alleged offenders. His victory in the elections was seen as public support for his actions.
Unsurprisingly, when the Shivraj Singh Chouhan administration used bulldozers to demolish some allegedly illegal properties that it claimed belonged to rioters in violence-hit Khargone, comparisons with Adityanath were immediately drawn.
After ‘Bulldozer Baba’ in UP, the party had got ‘Bulldozer Mama’, a reference used for Chouhan, especially on social media, in MP.
Competing loudspeakers in Maharashtra
If the bulldozer has travelled from Uttar Pradesh to MP, the politics around loudspeakers is the loudest in Maharashtra.
In the backdrop of recent incidents of communal tension in some places, the use of loudspeakers at mosques during ‘azaan’ (prayers) was questioned by some political outfits. The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navanirman Sena raised temperatures in Maharashtra with its aggressive stance.
A cousin and political opponent of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray earlier this month demanded that loudspeakers at mosques relaying azaan be removed by May 3 or else his party would play the Hanuman Chalisa (a Hindu prayer) at higher volumes to counter them.
On Monday, Nashik police commissioner Deepak Pandey had issued an order directing that no ‘bhajan’ or religious songs be played on loudspeakers 15 minutes before or after ‘azaan’ in a radius of 100 metres of any mosque. The move led to further controversy.
On Tuesday, Maharashtra’s director general of police instructed officials to strictly enforce the law and the Supreme Court’s guidelines on the matter.
DGP Rajnish Seth held a meeting through video conference in the morning with all district superintendents of police, special inspector generals of various ranges and commissioners of major cities, said an official according to PTI.
A senior official attended the meeting on behalf of the Mumbai police commissioner.
The DGP instructed unit commanders to allow loudspeakers between 6 am and 10 pm with prior permission from the police, and asked them to strictly abide by the Supreme Court’s guidelines on use of loudspeakers as well as the noise pollution norms laid down by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.
The use of loudspeakers in public places was an old issue and there were clear guidelines, the DGP said while instructing all police units to take action in case there was any complaint of noise pollution, the official said.
(With agency inputs)
However, courtesy the quirks and vagaries of the social scenario, loudspeaker and bulldozer have become key terms in the Indian political lexicon.
In Karnataka, a section of right-wing organisations have demanded ‘bulldozer’-kind of action against those involved in the Hubballi violence. Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said those involved in the incident will be tried as per existing laws.
The bulldozer mode, which has become a favourite of right-wing organisations, is the tough yet controversial stance taken by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath to deal with those allegedly on the wrong side of the law.
BJP’s ‘Bulldozer Baba’ and ‘Bulldozer Mama’
During the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, BJP showcased Adityanath’s tough approach on law and order by referring to him as ‘Bulldozer Baba’.
On occassions, the Adityanath administration had used bulldozers to demolish buildings raised by alleged offenders. His victory in the elections was seen as public support for his actions.
Unsurprisingly, when the Shivraj Singh Chouhan administration used bulldozers to demolish some allegedly illegal properties that it claimed belonged to rioters in violence-hit Khargone, comparisons with Adityanath were immediately drawn.
After ‘Bulldozer Baba’ in UP, the party had got ‘Bulldozer Mama’, a reference used for Chouhan, especially on social media, in MP.
Competing loudspeakers in Maharashtra
If the bulldozer has travelled from Uttar Pradesh to MP, the politics around loudspeakers is the loudest in Maharashtra.
In the backdrop of recent incidents of communal tension in some places, the use of loudspeakers at mosques during ‘azaan’ (prayers) was questioned by some political outfits. The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navanirman Sena raised temperatures in Maharashtra with its aggressive stance.
A cousin and political opponent of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray earlier this month demanded that loudspeakers at mosques relaying azaan be removed by May 3 or else his party would play the Hanuman Chalisa (a Hindu prayer) at higher volumes to counter them.
On Monday, Nashik police commissioner Deepak Pandey had issued an order directing that no ‘bhajan’ or religious songs be played on loudspeakers 15 minutes before or after ‘azaan’ in a radius of 100 metres of any mosque. The move led to further controversy.
On Tuesday, Maharashtra’s director general of police instructed officials to strictly enforce the law and the Supreme Court’s guidelines on the matter.
DGP Rajnish Seth held a meeting through video conference in the morning with all district superintendents of police, special inspector generals of various ranges and commissioners of major cities, said an official according to PTI.
A senior official attended the meeting on behalf of the Mumbai police commissioner.
The DGP instructed unit commanders to allow loudspeakers between 6 am and 10 pm with prior permission from the police, and asked them to strictly abide by the Supreme Court’s guidelines on use of loudspeakers as well as the noise pollution norms laid down by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.
The use of loudspeakers in public places was an old issue and there were clear guidelines, the DGP said while instructing all police units to take action in case there was any complaint of noise pollution, the official said.
(With agency inputs)
