Pune, Sep 4: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the state government is working to build a consensus on restricting the use of high-decibel DJ systems during festivals and called for a return to traditional ways of celebrating.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme in Pune, Fadnavis condemned the assault on an activist in the city and said he had spoken to the Pune police commissioner and there appeared to be broad agreement among stakeholders on curbing excessive sound systems that inconvenience people.
Vidyanand Bapat, an activist who has been vocal against the use of DJs and loudspeakers during festivals and was campaigning against noise pollution during Ganeshotsav, was assaulted on Thursday while speaking to a television news channel on Tilak Road in Pune.
“I have already condemned yesterday’s incident. There can be different points of view, and people can be on either side, but violence is not right. Everyone should put forward their views,” he said.
Festivals acquire greater significance when celebrated traditionally, but practices developed over the years cannot be eliminated only through legal action, he noted.
“Law has to be used; otherwise such practices cannot be stopped. But along with that, it is more important to take people into confidence and find a way forward,” Fadnavis said.
He further likened the vibration of high-powered DJ setups to an “earthquake”, but said that a statewide policy on the issue would not be framed immediately, as the government was first pursuing discussions with stakeholders.
“Our experience is that wherever discussions have been held, 90 to 95 per cent of people agree. Therefore, this has to happen through discussion and, once that is done, a policy can be framed and an order issued,” he said.
The process will take time, but the government’s direction was clear, he said.
“The direction is clear. We have to move towards traditional celebrations or at least move away from the very high level of noise pollution,” the chief minister said.
Asked about some Dahi Handi mandals in Nagpur’s Badkas Chowk area insisting that they would use DJs despite the ban, Fadnavis said the police commissioner and the mandals would discuss the matter and find a solution.
On Bapat’s pure version of Marathi, Fadnavis said the activist’s speech was currently “trending” and praised his command over the language.
“His speech is certainly an example of the purity of Marathi, and it is a pleasure to hear such language,” Fadnavis said.
He, however, said that while expressing his views, Bapat should present them in a more “accommodative” and “inclusive” manner so that others did not feel troubled by them.
