Controversy arises as IAS officer challenges loudspeaker use in temples over noise pollution
Bhopal: A woman IAS officer from Madhya Pradesh has sparked controversy by suggesting that the state government's order regulating loudspeakers at places of worship may be executed with religious bias. Shailbala Martin, a 2009-batch IAS officer, raised concerns about noise pollution from temple loudspeakers, questioning why they are allowed to disturb residents late into the night.
In a post on X, she expressed support for Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's initiative to regulate loudspeakers in temples, mosques, and churches, emphasizing that such regulation should be applied uniformly across all religious venues to alleviate noise issues for everyone.
However, her comments have drawn criticism from the Hindu organization Samskrit Bachao Manch, which accused Martin of "communalizing" the issue and claimed her statements offended Hindu sentiments. The group’s leader, Chandrasekhar Tiwari, warned that her remarks could disrupt communal harmony and advised her to avoid such sensitive topics in the future.
In a political twist, the Congress party has accused the ruling BJP government of religious discrimination in enforcing the loudspeaker regulation. Congress spokesman Abbas Hafeez claimed that the implementation of the order reflects a bias based on religious considerations. He urged the state government to acknowledge the issue raised by the IAS officer and rectify any discriminatory practices.
BJP spokesman Milan Bhargav, however, refuted allegations of bias, asserting that the government is adhering to the rule of law and acting constitutionally. He stated that the government has set a precedent by implementing the order without discrimination.
This is not the first time Martin has faced backlash for her statements. Previously, she received heavy criticism on social media when she addressed the plight of women in Manipur while responding to posts criticizing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over an incident in Parliament.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
