Samajwadi Party Threatens Stir Over 'Azaan'

Mumbai, Oct 10: Objecting to the title of Bollywood flick ‘Azaan' ahead of its release, the local unit of Samajwadi Party (SP) today threatened to take to the streets if the same is not changed.

Addressing a press conference here, Maulana Asrar Ahmed Bakai, General Secretary of Majlis-e-Ulama, warned if the title of the movie is not changed, SP would hold demonstrations across the city.

He also said the party will also not allow the movie to be released as the title ‘Azaan' is allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims.‘Azaan', directed by Prashant Chadha, is slated for release on Friday.

Maulana Abdul Jabbar Mahirul Kadri, Zulfikar Azmi, president Maulana Azad Memorial Trust and Samajwadi party (Mumbai) general secretary Kuber Maurya, who jointly addressed the press conference, said ‘Azaan' is a sacred word used as an invitation for prayers by Muslims.

The title cannot, therefore, be used for mere entertainment purpose and it should be changed, they added.

SP leader Zulfikar Azmi said he had written a letter to the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson,executive producer of the film M R Shahjahan, director of the film Prashant Chadha and Mumbai Police Commissioner on October 6, over change in the title. PTI