5,299 loudspeakers removed, 4,203 from mosques and 1,096 from temples: CM
Times of India | 7 August 2026
Kolkata: As part of the noise norm drives statewide, 5,299 loudspeakers have been removed, 4,203 of them from mosques and 1,096 from temples, CM Suvendu Adhikari said on Thursday making it clear that the drives will continue.
Speaking to reporters, the CM said the govt was abiding by the 2022 high court order only on the matter of limiting noise pollution. “Loudspeakers with noise of over 50 decibels will be removed from all kind of religious places. It could be temples or mosques. So far, a total 5,299 loudspeakers have been removed, 4,203 of them from mosques and 1,096 loudspeakers removed from temples,” the CM said.
The CM said that there was no forceful removal of loudspeakers from the religious sites. “There is no forceful removal, the police are doing the job as per the court order. All are cooperating,” the CM said.
This drive has triggered sharp political exchanges, with the BJP defending the enforcement, the opposition accusing govt of pursuing a divisive agenda, and religious organisations urging compliance while questioning the manner in which the exercise is being carried out.
The reactions follow the removal of loudspeakers from mosques and temples across the state over the past two days, with cops maintaining that the action is being “implemented uniformly” in response to repeated plaints of excessive noise and in accordance with existing pollution control rules.
Nizamuddin Biswas of the All Bengal Imam and Muezzin Association appealed to mosque committees to cooperate with police personnel. “Do not resist if officers seek to remove microphones but document the process through photographs and videos for any future legal proceedings,” said Biswas.
Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said the issue should not be viewed through a religious lens but as one of enforcing noise pollution laws. “Whether it is a temple or a mosque, people should be free to practise their faith peacefully within their places of worship,” he said, adding that there was no need for microphones that contribute to noise pollution.
Urban development and municipal affairs minister Agnimitra Paul echoed govt’s position, saying the law applied equally to all religious institutions.
The move has, however, come under criticism from opposition netas, who have questioned both the intent and implementation. Trinamool MP Saugata Roy, however, alleged that the exercise formed part of the BJP’s “communal agenda” and was aimed at targeting the Muslim community.
AJUP chief and Nowda MLA Humayun Kabir said compliance with SC guidelines on the use of loudspeakers was not in dispute but accused govt of prioritising contentious issues over governance. “Instead of focusing on development, they are repeatedly raising issues such as loudspeakers, animal sacrifice and azaan,” said Kabir.
Religious organisations, while advising mosque committees to avoid confrontation, also expressed concern over the manner in which the directives were being issued.
Ali Afzal Khan, an advocate, alleged that govt was using the controversy to divert attention from governance and welfare concerns.
Asked if a PIL will be filed, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya said it would either be a petition or PIL, but a case will surely be filed in HC in coming days. But, he didn’t say when.