04 September,2026 06:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
CM Fadnavis said festivals had greater significance when celebrated in a traditional manner. File Pic
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the state government was working towards building a consensus on restricting the use of high-decibel DJ systems during festivals, reported the PTI.
Fadnavis also called for a return to traditional forms of celebration, saying excessive noise during festivals should be reduced.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme in Pune, CM Fadnavis condemned the assault on activist Vidyanand Bapat, who has been campaigning against the use of DJs and loudspeakers during festivals, according to the PTI.
Bapat was allegedly assaulted on Thursday while speaking to a television news channel on Tilak Road in Pune.
Fadnavis said people could hold different opinions on the issue, but violence was unacceptable.
"I have already condemned yesterday's incident. There can be different points of view, and people can be on either side, but violence is not right. Everyone should put forward their views," he said, as per the PTI.
CM Fadnavis said he had spoken to the Pune police commissioner and that there appeared to be broad agreement among stakeholders on the need to curb excessive sound systems that cause inconvenience to people.
However, he said the government would not immediately introduce a statewide policy on the issue.
The Chief Minister said discussions with stakeholders were needed first, followed by a policy decision once a consensus was reached.
"Our experience is that wherever discussions have been held, 90 to 95 per cent of people agree. Therefore, this has to happen through discussion and, once that is done, a policy can be framed and an order issued," he said, the news agency reported.
CM Fadnavis said festivals had greater significance when celebrated in a traditional manner.
He acknowledged that practices that had developed over the years could not be removed through legal action alone.
"Law has to be used; otherwise such practices cannot be stopped. But along with that, it is more important to take people into confidence and find a way forward," he said, reported the PTI.
He said the government's direction was clear and that Maharashtra should move towards traditional celebrations or, at the very least, reduce very high levels of noise pollution.
Fadnavis compared the vibrations produced by high-powered DJ systems to an "earthquake", underlining the intensity of the sound systems.
Despite this, he said a statewide policy would take time as the government was currently consulting different stakeholders.
Asked about some Dahi Handi mandals in Nagpur's Badkas Chowk area that have insisted on using DJs despite a ban, Fadnavis said the police commissioner and the mandals would hold discussions to find a solution, as per the PTI.
The issue comes amid increasing restrictions on high-powered sound systems during festivals in parts of Maharashtra.
Fadnavis also commented on Bapat's use of Marathi, saying the activist's speech had been "trending" and praising his command of the language.
"His speech is certainly an example of the purity of Marathi, and it is a pleasure to hear such language," he said, the news agency reported.
However, Fadnavis added that Bapat should present his views in a more accommodative and inclusive manner so that others did not feel troubled by them.
(with PTI inputs)
