MNS gives May 3 ultimatum to remove mosque loudspeakers, seeks ‘patriotic’ Hindus’ support
Announcing a public rally in Aurangabad on May 1, Raj Thackeray says the issue is social, not religious, and called for a 'befitting reply' to people who 'consider their religion to be more important than law'.
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Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray. (File)Pushing his Hindutva agenda further, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday reiterated that the issue of loudspeakers on mosques was a social issue, not a religious one, and requested all “patriotic” Hindus to give a “befitting reply” to people who “consider their religion to be more important than law”.
“Some people are considering the issue of speakers in mosques as a religious issue but it is not so. It should be seen as a social issue,” Thackeray told reporters while declaring that his party would be holding a public rally on May 1 in Aurangabad and that he and his party colleagues would visit the under-construction Ram temple in Ayodhya on June 5. Incidentally, Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra minister Aditya Thackeray has announced an Ayodhya visit in May.
“The loud sound of speakers in mosques is not creating problems only for Hindus but also for Muslims. This issue has persisted for a long time. If you are going to play the speakers five times a day, then we will play Hanuman chalisa in front of mosques in the same way. It is my request to all patriotic Hindu community members of the country to be ready. I am not saying anything further since Ramzan is going on. If they are unable to understand by May 3 and consider their religion to be more important than the law and the Supreme Court, they need to be given a befitting reply,” Thackeray said.
“We don’t want riots in Maharashtra and the country. We don’t want any kind of violence and do not wish to hamper peace. Muslim community members should consider the issue on humanitarian grounds. We don’t have any kind of opposition to their prayers but if they are making others listen to their prayers, they will also have to listen to our prayers,” he said.
On the action against his party workers for reciting Hanuman chalisa, the MNS chief said their acts could not be termed illegal if the “illegal” loudspeakers were not being removed from mosques. “The Supreme Court has ordered that permission should be denied to those violating the sound level and peace. Are we not going to understand the situation? The Muslim community should also understand this issue. Religion can not be more important than the country. They should realise that citizens are facing problems due to loudspeakers,” he said.
Thackeray also said that any violence during the May 1 procession would not be tolerated.
On Saturday, Thackeray attended a maha aarti and Hanumanchalisa recital by his party’s city unit on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti at a temple. The ruling NCP countered it by holding a maha aarti and Hanuman chalisa recital along with an iftaar party in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the party’s state chief, Jayant Patil, and MP Supriya Sule.
On April 2, the MNS chief urged the government to remove loudspeakers from mosques and warned that if it failed to do so, his party would put loudspeakers in front of mosques and play Hanuman chalisa. The statement triggered a controversy and Muslim members quit the MNS.
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