Shiv Sena, the new “secular” party in the town would organize an “Azaan recitation competition”, it was announced by the party’s South Mumbai division head, Pandurang Sakpal.
Sakpal said that the Azaan recitation competition will be held along the line with Bhagvad Gita recitation competition. He said the decision was taken to encourage Muslim children to recite Azaan.
Sakpal also added that rewards will be given to children on the basis of their pronunciation, voice modulation and their recitation. Shiv Sena will bear the cost of the rewards, he said.
“The children of the Muslim community wonderfully recite Azaan. The purpose of keeping this competition is to provide a platform for talented artists. I don’t think such a competition has taken place in the entire country. This is the first experiment and we hope it will get a good response,” Sakpal said.
Sakpal further compared Azaan to “Maha Aarti.”
“Azaan lasts for only 5 minutes. So, if anyone is bothered by these few minutes, he should be ignored like a rock of salt. The tradition of Azaan is several centuries old. It is not a recent phenomenon. Such protestations should be ignored. Azaan is as important as Maha Aarti. It’s a symbol of love and peace.”
