Sonu Nigam created a furore on social media after he expressed his angst over use of loudspeakers for religious purposes. In a series of tweets, he vented his anger over the’ forced religiousness’ the country and questioned when this ‘ Goondagardi’ will stop. However it was his first tweet about being woken up to Azaan and forced religiousness in the country that became a butt of controversy. The singer was relentlessly trolled and even an FIR was filed against him in Mumbai. However, it seems things are yet to settle down.
Now vice president of West Bengal Minority United Council has issued a fatwa against the singer for his comments over azaan. “If anyone can shave his hair, put a garland of old torn shoes around his neck and tour him around the country I personally announce an award of Rs 10 lakh for that person,” DNA quoted Syed Sha Atef Ali Al Quaderi as saying.
Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata on Tuesday, Quaderi described Nigam as an anti-national and added that no one had the right to hurt the sentiments of any other religion.
Asserting that he would have reacted the same way if someone had talked ill of sound bellls from a temple, the senior cleric said, “If we all become so intolerant about each other’s religions, we will soon have a bunch of atheists in our country. People like Nigam should be driven out of the country.”
He also said that the council will organise a rally Rani Rashmoni Avenue in central Kolkata to send a message against people like and NIgam and RSS leaders.
Sabir Ali, general secretary of the council also slammed the singer and dubbed his tweets as a publicity stunt.
“More than the namaz people are disturbed by the cacophony from his music studio and during his concerts. In every religion people are asked to wake up early in the morning.God gives these people prosperity. It seems Nigam had lost his popularity and Arijit Singh from Bengal is getting all the singing contracts. Our appeal to Nigam is o get up early with the sound of azaan,” said Ali.
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
— Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 16, 2017
And by the way Mohammed did not have electricity when he made Islam.. Why do I have to have this cacophony after Edison?
— Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 17, 2017
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?
— Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 17, 2017
Gundagardi hai bus…
— Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 17, 2017
Dear everyone. Your stand exposes your own IQ. I stand by my statement that loudspeakers should not be allowed in Mosques & Temples. Period
— Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 18, 2017
Sonu Nigam posted series of Tweets on April 16 saying he did not like to be woken up to Azaan and stressed on the need to ban loudspeakers for religious purposes.