HC order is against use of loudspeakers at all religious places, not just mosques; we will take a call: Karnataka CM

News Network

April 5, 2022

Bengaluru, Apr 5: Amid a renewed Hindutva campaign against use of loudspeakers in mosques, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday assured to look into the matter, adding that the high court order is against the use of loudspeakers not just in mosques, but in all religious places.

His reaction comes after some rightwing outfits, including Bajrang Dal and Sri Ram Sena called for a ban on loudspeakers in mosques.

"This is a high court order. It's not forced. Everything has to be done by talking and explaining to people. It is not only for azaan, it is for all loudspeakers. So, we will take a call," the Karnataka CM said on demand for a ban on loudspeakers in mosques in the state.

Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik has repeatedly said that the Hindutva organistaions have been demanding that the loudspeakers on mosques should be banned.

The Hindutva outfits called for the ban after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray demanded that loudspeakers of mosques be shut down across Maharashtra else his party workers will play Hanuman Chalisa, bhajans everyday at 5 am.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa said that any solution to the 'loudspeaker' issue can be found by taking the Muslim community into confidence and keeping the interests of students and patients in mind.

"The attempts by Raj Thackeray or Sri Rama Sene against the use of loudspeakers at mosques, has to be naturally done by taking the Muslim community into confidence. There have been complaints for a long time that it disturbs students and patients during morning and evening hours," Eshwarappa said.

The minister said that the Muslim community should understand that loudspeakers to call for prayer are disturbing students, including their children and patients.

"This is not a competition for us to play Hanuman Chalisa loudly on speakers to counter them....I have no objections to you (Muslims) offering prayer, but because of your using loudspeakers, if prayers are offered at temples and churches also in a similar way, it will lead to conflict between communities," he said.

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Film on Gaza girl ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ receives Oscar nomination

News Network

January 23,2026

The Voice of Hind Rajab, inspired by the tragic final moments of a young Palestinian girl killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best International Feature Film category.

Directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the film recounts the true story of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who lost her life in January 2024 while fleeing Israeli bombardment with her family.

The film features the real audio of Hind’s desperate call to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, where she pleaded for help moments before the vehicle she was in was struck by 355 bullets.

The haunting narrative begins with a brief call made from the besieged Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza, where gunfire and armored vehicles drowned out every sound.

After witnessing the brutal killing of her family, she made a trembling call, her voice reduced to a whisper as she spoke of the massacre and her unbearable loneliness as the sole survivor.

Premiering at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2025, The Voice of Hind Rajab garnered widespread acclaim, receiving a record-setting 23-minute standing ovation and the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, the festival’s second-highest honor.

In her acceptance speech, Ben Hania dedicated the film to humanitarian workers and first responders in Gaza, emphasizing that Hind's voice symbolizes countless civilians affected by war.

She aims to give voice to victims often reduced to mere statistics, highlighting the broader suffering of civilians in war zones.

The film’s Oscar nomination underscores its powerful storytelling and ethical approach to depicting real-life tragedy, making it a crucial piece of contemporary cinema.

It serves not only as a narration of individual tragedy but also as an artistic and documentary response to the silence and censorship that often overshadow West Asian struggles and wars.

Using an innovative method she calls docufiction, Ben Hania bridges unvarnished reality and narrative structure, creating a work that is both artistically valuable and socially impactful.

Born in 1977 in Sidi Bouzid—later the epicenter of the Arab revolution—her background profoundly influenced her worldview and artistic approach.

She is a graduate of the Higher School of Audiovisual Arts of Tunis, Pantheon-Sorbonne University, and La Fémis in Paris, where her studies equipped her with the technical and theoretical tools needed to address complex subjects.

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