Former Kerala minister in trouble for mocking Islamic prayer call

At the annual meet of Nair Service Society (NSS) in Kamukumhery at Pathanapuram, Kerala Congress (B) chairman R Balakrishna Pillai allegedly remarked that the Islamic call to prayer (adhan) was like “barking of dogs." He also scoffed at the 'mushrooming ' of churches and mosques.  

 "When I go to Thiruvananthapuram I stay at my party office there. Five times a day, they make this loud call from a nearby mosque. It’s like the barking of dogs. They won't let you sleep," he said. “There are no Muslims in the locality- only Nairs and a few Dalits (live there). When they give the call, the microphones of a nearby temple would be switched off," he said. 

"Earlier, there used to be only one Christian Church in a locality. But now, churches are everywhere. If Ten Muslims or Christians start living in a locality, they build a church or a mosque there within no time," he allegedly said.

Referring the controversy over the women’s entry to the Sabarimala forest shrine in Kerala, Pillai said that the restrictions on women were based on tantric traditions  and norms.

 After his speech was widely criticised, Pillai denied all claims, saying that he had not spoken against any minority community.   

In May 1985, Pillai, who was a minister in the K Karunakaran cabinet then, had landed trouble after he called for a Punjab-model agitation to get Kerala’s legitimate share of central funds and projects. He had to step down from the ministry after his speech was termed ‘seditious’.