Minority Defence Committee and a dedicated team of lawyers help mosque trustees in responding to the notices
MALEGAON – The Muslim community in this Maharashtra city have come together to defend their right to use loudspeakers in mosques after the Police Department issued lengthy notices to mosque trustees. In a strong display of unity, more than 100 mosques have already filed their legal responses with the help of the Minority Defence Committee.
The committee has been organising a guidance camp every Saturday at the Haj Training Centre, offering legal assistance to mosque officials in preparing replies to the nine-page notices. The police notices question the use of loudspeakers during prayer times – a long-standing practice in mosques across India.
Advocate Tauseef, who has been leading the legal team, said: “We will not allow anyone to target our religious freedom. Every Muslim has the right to practice his faith without fear or pressure.”
Working alongside him are advocates Zahid Iqbal, Khalid Yousuf and Masoom Anbar. The team has been providing drafted replies free of cost, ensuring that even small mosques with limited resources can respond effectively.
“This is not just about loudspeakers, it is about safeguarding our identity and our constitutional rights,” said Advocate Zahid Iqbal. “If we remain silent today, tomorrow other religious practices will be targeted.”
The Minority Defence Committee confirmed that the upcoming camp on 16 August will focus on assisting mosques in the suburbs of Malegaon, including nearby villages and towns. Trustees and officials from these areas are being urged to attend and make use of the help available.
Community members say the police notices have created concern but also strengthened Muslim unity. “We see this as an attempt to harass us in the name of law and order,” said Abdul Qadir, a trustee of a mosque that has already submitted its reply. “But we are standing together, and we are prepared to fight legally.”
Local residents have praised the Minority Defence Committee for taking a proactive stand. The committee’s ‘Waqf Help Centre’ has so far guided more than 100 mosques, with more expected to follow in the coming weeks.
Advocate Masoom Anbar stressed that the fight is lawful and peaceful: “We are following every legal step, showing that we respect the law, but we will not accept injustice. The Constitution gives equal rights to all citizens, and we will defend those rights.”
For many in Malegaon, the issue is not just legal but deeply emotional. “The azaan (call to prayer) has been part of our lives for generations,” said mosque official Yusuf Patel. “Silencing it would be like erasing a part of who we are.”
