A woman IAS officer hailing from Madhya Pradesh has kicked up dirt by pointing at the potential religious discrimination in the Mohan Yadav government’s order regulating loudspeaker use at places of worship. This has led to tensions with a Hindu organization, which advised her to avoid sensitive topics. Ms. Shailbala Martin, an IAS officer from the 2009 batch, commented on X about the late-night noise from temple loudspeakers, questioning whether they contribute to noise pollution.
Earlier, she had praised Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s decision to regulate loudspeakers across all religious sites, including temples, mosques, and churches, suggesting that fair enforcement could benefit everyone. However, the Sanskriti Bachao Manch, a Hindu group, accused her of adding a communal angle to the government’s order, claiming it offended Hindu sentiments. Mr. Chandrasekhar Tiwari, the head of the organization, warned that her comments could disrupt communal harmony and advised her to steer clear of such sensitive matters.
In response, the Congress party criticized the state BJP government for allegedly implementing the order with religious bias. Congress spokesman Abbas Hafeez claimed that the government’s actions reflect religious considerations and urged it to correct its course after the IAS officer’s remarks.
BJP spokesman Mr. Milan Bhargav rejected the allegations of discrimination, asserting that the government is adhering to the law and setting an example by applying the order impartially. Previously, IAS Martin faced significant online backlash for her comments regarding the situation of women in Manipur, which arose during discussions about a controversial incident involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in parliament.
Ms. Martin had earlier served as the Collector of Niwari and Municipal Commissioner of Burhanpur.
