'Think impartially': MP IAS officer Shailbala Martin criticises temple loudspeakers on social media, faces massive backlash

The tragic death of a 13-year-old boy during a Durga idol immersion in Bhopal, reportedly due to the loud noise of a DJ, has ignited a heated debate on social media over the dangers of noise pollution. But the conversation took a controversial turn when Senior IAS officer Shailbala Martin weighed in, pointing to the "loudspeakers installed on temples." Her comments have since sparked outrage, with religious groups now calling for protests against the officer.

Journalist Mukesh Kumar recently took to X to highlight the issue of noise pollution, particularly in the context of religious events.

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¡ª Dr. Mukesh Kumar (@mukeshbudharwi) October 20, 2024

In his post, he questioned the justification used by some for playing loud DJ music in front of mosques, arguing that even if mosque loudspeakers for the Azan were removed, the disruptive behavior would continue under different pretexts.

He suggested that Muslims could consider voluntarily removing loudspeakers from mosques, noting, "God will hear it anyway, because he is not deaf."

Responding to Kumar's post, IAS officer Shailbala Martin expanded the discussion to include temples, pointing out that loudspeakers installed on temples also contribute to noise pollution, with some playing music until midnight and disturbing entire neighborhoods.

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¡ª Shailbala Martin (@MartinShailbala) October 20, 2024

Her remarks quickly drew criticism, particularly from the right-wing group Sanskriti Bachao Manch, whose leader Chandrashekhar Tiwari announced plans for a protest against her.

Amid the controversy, Congress spokesperson Abbas Hafeez defended Martin, stating that she had raised a valid point about the BJP government's selective enforcement on public noise issues.

Another Journalist, Sanjeev Jain, also joined the conversation, emphasising that noise pollution is a widespread problem regardless of the source, to which Martin responded by calling for an impartial approach to tackling the issue.

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¡ª Shailbala Martin (@MartinShailbala) October 21, 2024

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