RAMANATHAPURAM: The covering an LED board having the wording ‘Allahu Akbar’ on the minaret (tower) of a mosque with tarpaulin has sparked a controversy, with a group of people associating it with the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 6.
However the jamath of the mosque claimed they have covered the board as part of the ongoing construction works, whereas the SDPI said the jamath was coerced to cover the board. Following the controversy, the tarpaulin was removed within two hours.
The board was installed at a height of 50 feet by Pamban Jamiya Masjid Periya Pallivasal during Ramdan. On March 16, the Mandapam police issued a summons stating the display board was fixed at such a height in violation of norms.
To install the board at such a height, the juma masjid needs to get permission from the police department and district collector. The police raised an objection to its installation, saying the board resembles a lighthouse when viewed from the sea and would lead to navigation problems.
The secretary of the juma masjid, A Syed Mohammed, said the board was covered using tarpaulin to avoid it getting damaged during the construction work that is ongoing. “No one forced us to do so,” he said.
Condemning the incident, SDPI state general secretary Mohammed Navavi said, “The incident reminds us of the instances of mosques being covered with tarpaulin in North India for the holi festival.” According to SDPI district functionary Sulaiman, the jamath was asked to do so by the police. However they removed the tarpaulin after the issue snowballed.
“The police say it will affect the navigation in sea, but it is not an issue, as we are not going to keep the LED lights on round the clock,” he added.
TNIE’s attempts to reach a senior police officer went in vain.