Alfiya Shaikh / Pune

Pune's Miss Farah Charitable Foundation has warned against the use of DJs and loud music during the Eid-e-Milad procession scheduled for August 26, saying it will initiate contempt of court proceedings against the police if the Supreme Court's noise pollution guidelines are not enforced.

The foundation has taken an uncompromising stand on the issue, stating, "There is no question of adjusting the volume; the use of DJs must be completely banned."

Foundation President Dr. Farah Anwar Hussain Shaikh sent a formal email on August 23 to the Pune Police Commissioner, Joint Commissioner, all DCPs, ACPs, Crime Branch, Special Branch and heads of relevant police stations, demanding strict compliance with noise pollution norms throughout the procession.

The procession will begin in Nana Peth and conclude in Ganesh Peth, passing through Camp and M.G. Road.

Eid-e-Milad marks the birth anniversary of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad and is traditionally associated with messages of peace, love, humanity and brotherhood. The foundation said the procession should feature Naat, Salaam and Seerat, rather than DJs playing film or vulgar songs.

It has also questioned who brings and funds the DJs used during the procession and urged the police to investigate the matter.

The foundation said the issue concerns not only the nature of a religious procession but also public health, safety and civic peace. It cited a 2022 incident in which an elderly person allegedly died of a heart attack after being exposed to deafening DJ noise. It also highlighted the impact of excessive noise on children, elderly people, patients and other residents.

Criticising what it described as inadequate enforcement, the foundation said, "It is your responsibility to keep the procession DJ-free. Every year, DJs are played in the presence of the police, and then only superficial actions like 'the DJ is turned off' or 'keep the volume down' are shown; this is not enough. Implementing laws and regulations on the ground is the sole responsibility of the police."

It has demanded that police officers personally monitor noise levels along the entire procession route and take action against violations without succumbing to pressure.

The foundation warned that if DJs are played during the August 26 procession and the police fail to act according to the law, it will approach the court and initiate contempt of court proceedings over police inaction.

"This is not some empty warning or threat," the foundation said, adding that members of the Muslim community have been pursuing the issue peacefully for nearly a decade, while the foundation has been involved for the past five to six years.

"We do not want to stop the Eid-e-Milad procession. All we want is for this procession to be peaceful, religious, disciplined, and completely DJ-free," it said.

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The foundation's stand has drawn attention to calls from within the Muslim community for greater discipline during religious processions, with the focus now on whether the Pune Police will enforce the noise regulations during the August 26 event.