HC backs Sonu Nigam's azaan tweet, says loudspeakers are not mandatory

A petition was filed in Punjab and Haryana High Court against singer Sonu Nigam's tweets on the azaan loudspeaker debate. However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has rejected the petition against the singer on the grounds that azaan is an integral part of the Islamic worship and not loudspeakers.

The petition was filed by Haryana's Sonepat resident Aas Mohammad, who claimed that Sonu's tweets violated the fundamental rights of the Muslim community to manage their religious affairs.

However, the observation made by the single-judge bench comprising of justice MMS Bedi rejected the petition as a cheap attempt to gain publicity. The court said, "A fair interpretation of the words used by respondent no 4 (Nigam) clearly indicates that the word ‘gundagardi’ in tweet no 4 is not addressed in the context of Azaan but the use of loudspeakers and amplifiers."

The HC justice further added that the neither the tweet nor the way it was worded, was meant to insult any religion or religious practices, and no religion prescribes blaring prayers through sound amplifiers.

Concluding the debate, Sonu Nigam tweeted that there is no need to add further fuel to the fire and they can agree to agree and disagree.