April 19, 2017
After two days of incessant trolling, a complaint to the police and being tagged anti-Muslim, Sonu Nigam finally spoke to the media and made his point about azaan tweet row clear.
April 19, 2017
After two days of incessant trolling, a complaint to the police and being tagged anti-Muslim, Sonu Nigam finally spoke to the media and made his point about azaan tweet row clear.
“Azaan is important, not loudspeaker. Arti is important, not loudspeaker,” the Bollywood singer said clearly and concisely while reaffirming his secular credentials. Moments later, he went and shaved off his hair. He was reacting to a Muslim cleric announcing a reward of Rs 10 lakh to anyone who will shave off his hair.
The Muslim cleric had slammed the singer and announced a reward. To this, Sonu said, “I’ll shave my head in a while. It’s not a challenge. It’s a request. What are you doing in this country? I am a believer but I don’t think my religion is the best but yours isn’t. I don’t believe in that. You have to fight fanaticism, you can’t be quite.”
He also said about getting his hair shaved off, “I have requested Alim to come. He will shave my head but it isn’t any agitation or challenge. The one who is cutting hair is a Muslim and I am a Hindu. There is no animosity. The same language of fatwa can be communicated in a language of love. Being secular means understanding each other’s problems and not saying ‘I am only right.'”
Talking about his own tweet, Sonu said, “Everyone has right to his opinion and I only spoke about loudspeakers. I spoke about a social issue, not any religion. I said it for temples, gurudwaras and mosques, why is it so hard to comprehend?” Sonu told the media.
Talking about religion, the singer said, “I am very secular, I am not right or left wing. I stand in between. Most are right and left wing people but people in the middle are less. I’ve never had to make a speech like this. I just raised a social topic, not a religious topic. When loudspeakers are installed in religious places, it is sort of a declaration that ‘this is my religion’. Same goes for people dancing on roads drunk during religious processions. I am against that.” Hitting out at religious fanatics who had questioned him for mentioning Prophet Mohammad in the tweet, he said, “People are asking why I said Mohammad and not Mohammad Sahab in my tweets. Well, I would like to explain that it is the problem of explaining myself in English language. In Hindi I will see Krishnaji or Shivji but while speaking in English it becomes Krishna or Shiva. It was the same when mentioning Mohammad. My intent was not to slam the prophet in any way.”
When questioned how he justifies performing in jaagrans that also use loudspeakers, Sonu said that those religious functions get over by 10 pm as per government regulation. “Yes, I sing at jaagrans but they are over by 10 pm as per government rules. It is all about timing and when I sing at religious events, I ensure rules are followed.”
Courtesy: Indian Express
