Close X
    Monday, September 23, 2024
    ADVT 
    Bollywood

    I Stand By My Statement: Sonu Nigam Calls Azaan 'Forced Religiousness', Evoke Mixed Response

    Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Apr, 2017 01:04 PM
    • I Stand By My Statement: Sonu Nigam Calls Azaan 'Forced Religiousness', Evoke Mixed Response
    Leading singer Sonu Nigam on Monday lashed out at "forced religiousness" in India after being woken up by the 'azaan' from a nearby mosque, triggering a torrent of reaction for and against.
     
    The "Kal ho naa ho" singer posted: "God bless everyone. I'm not a Muslim and I have to be woken up by the azaan in the morning. When will this forced religiousness end in India?" 
     
    Nigam explained his stance in a long Twitter post.
     
    "And by the way, (Prophet) Mohammed did not have electricity when he made Islam... Why do I have to have this cacophony after Edison? 
     
    "I don't believe in any temple or gurudwara using electricity To wake up people who don't follow the religion. Why then..? Honest? True? Gundagardi hai, bus."
     
    He tagged Maharastra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. 
     
    "Dear Fadnavis, please note and help us force police to act against illegal blaring of azaan and other such activities," the singer pleaded.
     
    As Nigam's views went viral, reactions poured in from all over India.
     
    Pakistan-born Canadian writer Tarek Fatah sided with the singer: "You are spot on Sonu Nigam. Thank god there is at least one person in India who has the courage to stare down mullah bullying. Shut the 4 a.m. azaan." 
     
    Not everyone felt the same way.
     
    Standup comedian Atul Khatri asked the Bollywood singer to find a new place if he was facing so much trouble. 
     
    "Hey Sonu Nigam, Shift to Ayodhya. I know a place there where there is no mosque," he tweeted. 
     
    Maharashtra Congress leader Naseem Khan said Nigam's comments were intended at communal polarisation and for cheap publicity. 
     
    Khan told IANS: "He (Nigam) is a lover of late night parties and then sleeps till late hours. The Bombay High Court has permitted loudspeakers' use from 6 a.m.to 10 p.m. So, his statement is baseless and aimed at creating divisions among communities." 
     
    Film editor Apurva Asrani expressed his opposition to all kinds of noise pollution.
     
    "(I) don't want to hear the azaan at dawn, nor do I want to hear a 'Chikni chameli' tuned Ganesh Aarti at dusk. Ban all loud-speakering of religion," he tweeted.
     
     
    Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri lent support to Nigam: "I am willing to sponsor a campaign against illegal blaring of azaan and other prayers on loudspeakers. Suggest a creative hashtag." 
    Prev Next

    MORE Bollywood ARTICLES

    Chandan Prabhakar Of The Kapil Sharma Show Becomes Dad, Blessed With A Baby Girl

    Chandan Prabhakar Of The Kapil Sharma Show Becomes Dad, Blessed With A Baby Girl
    Chandan Prabhakar wants to share the happiness of becoming a father with the whole universe.

    Chandan Prabhakar Of The Kapil Sharma Show Becomes Dad, Blessed With A Baby Girl

    Clash Of Titans Again: This Time It's Shah Rukh Khan And Akshay!

    Clash Of Titans Again: This Time It's Shah Rukh Khan And Akshay!
    On Republic Day 2017 we saw a clash of the titans at the box-office with Shah Rukh Khan's 'Raees' and Hrithik Roshan's 'Kaabil' both releasing on the same day.

    Clash Of Titans Again: This Time It's Shah Rukh Khan And Akshay!

    Check Out Shraddha Kapoor's Perfect Transformation Into 'Haseena'

    Check Out Shraddha Kapoor's Perfect Transformation Into 'Haseena'
    Shraddha Kapoor has proved time and again that she has the knack of getting into the skin of the character she portrays. 

    Check Out Shraddha Kapoor's Perfect Transformation Into 'Haseena'

    'Naam Shabana': As Good As 'Baby', The Film Grips You

    'Naam Shabana': As Good As 'Baby', The Film Grips You
    Watching this film is a joy, although nothing really happy happens to Shabana. We are just happy that she can fight her own battles even when the odds are stacked skyhigh against her.

    'Naam Shabana': As Good As 'Baby', The Film Grips You

    2017 First Quarter: Star Power Steals Limelight At Indian Box-office

    With four big budget films crossing the Rs 100 crore ($15 million) mark in box-office earnings in the first quarter of 2017, Bollywood is off to a "good" start this year -- but it continues to battle the growing menace of piracy, say trade gurus.

    2017 First Quarter: Star Power Steals Limelight At Indian Box-office

    Sunil Grover Is Back As Mashoor Gulati But Not For Kapil Sharma As Raju Srivastava Joins Kapil's Tea

    Sunil Grover Is Back As Mashoor Gulati But Not For Kapil Sharma As Raju Srivastava Joins Kapil's Tea
    Sunil Grover is back. He will apparently be seen as Dr Mashoor Gulati and Rinku Bhabhi - his famous characters on Kapil’s show - on Indian Idol, which reaches its finale this weekend.

    Sunil Grover Is Back As Mashoor Gulati But Not For Kapil Sharma As Raju Srivastava Joins Kapil's Tea

    PrevNext