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Two days after authorities of Shri Krishna Janamsthan temple in Mathura removed loudspeakers from their premises, the management of the adjacent Shahi Idgah on Friday removed one of its loudspeakers and lowered the volume of two others installed at its gate for broadcasting ‘azaan’ (call for prayer). The move, the idgah officials said, was done in a bid to ensure that the sound does not disturb others.

Secretary of Shahi Idgah committee Tanveer Ahmad said though they had not received any government order, they voluntarily removed one of the loudspeakers and decided to decrease the volume of others to maintain communal harmony in the town. He added that the loudspeakers are used only for ‘azaan’ and not for ‘namaz.’

The government on Friday appointed Suman K Bery as the vice chairman of Niti Aayog, following the sudden resignation of Rajiv Kumar. Bery will take charge from May 1, 2022, an official order said.

Rajiv Kumar's tenure will end on April 30.

Kumar, an eminent economist, took over as vice chairman of Niti Aayog in August 2017 after the then VC Arvind Panagariya exited the government think-tank to return to academics.

According to the order, Kumar's resignation has been accepted and he would be relieved from the post with effect from April 30.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has constituted a five-member committee to probe the demolition of 300-year-old Shiva temple in Rajasthan. The temple was demolished in Sarai Mohalla in the Alwar district of Rajasthan.

The BJP committee, formed under the chairmanship of Sikar MP Swami Sumedhanand, will visit Rajgarh in three days, prepare a factual report, and hand it over to the Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia.

Speaking to media, BJP leader Sanjay Naruka said, "The committee includes Chandrakanta Meghwal, Rajendra Singh Shekhawat, Braj Kishore Upadhyay and Bhavani Meena."

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has asked the Centre to form a national policy on the use of  loudspeakers at religious, public and other places, and implement it first in BJP-ruled states. The Maharashtra government will also abide by the Centre’s directives over the national policy, he said on Wednesday. 

The demand comes in the wake of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray’s ultimatum to the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques before May 3, failing which his party will blare Hanuman Chalisa when Muslims pray five times a day.

“I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to frame a national policy on the use of loudspeakers. The policy’s implementation should begin from states like Bihar, Delhi and Gujarat,” Raut said, adding that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) people were responsible for creating a row, though loudspeakers still remain at mosques in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson along with Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel visited the JCB factory at Halol GIDC, Panchmahal in Gujarat on Thursday. The British PM climbed onto a JCB at the new factory and waved to the media.

Johnson, who arrived in India on Thursday morning, visited business tycoon Gautam Adani, who tweeted: "Honoured to host Boris Johnson, the first UK PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support climate & sustainability agenda with focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with UK companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies. #AtmanirbharBharat."

PM Johnson will use his visit to India to boost ties with India, slashing trade barriers for UK businesses and driving jobs and growth at home.