The PIL also sought direction to restrain him from organising tours and press conferences related to playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers and for removing loudspeakers from mosques. (File)Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray Wednesday said that the protest in the form of playing the Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosques will continue until all loudspeakers are removed from the mosques. He also demanded the state government to take action against mosques who played loudspeakers Wednesday morning.
On Wednesday, Thackeray, while addressing the media said, “There are 1,140 mosques in Mumbai of which 135 mosques used loudspeakers in the morning (Wednesday) for Azaan before 5 am or 6am. You (state government) are detaining our workers, sending them notices, what action will you be taking against the erring mosques? Why are only we being targeted and not those who are breaking the law by using loudspeakers?”
He added, “I am not saying that loudspeakers should be removed from only mosques. They should be removed even from temples. I am not against prayers but why do you need loudspeakers and mics? Why are you making us listen to your prayers?”
Stating that the protest will continue, Thackeray said, “The issue is not about just one day. The protest will continue and wherever Azaan will be played on loudspeakers, my Maharashtra sainiks will play the Hanuman Chalisa in double volume. I want the government to take action. It’s not only about not playing the loudspeakers at night or early mornings, during the day time too, there should be no use of loudspeakers.”
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“Vishwas Nangre Patil, the Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police for law and order, told me that mosques have applied for permissions and they (police) are giving it. But most of the mosques are unauthorised, the loudspeakers are unauthorised and by giving them permission, you are making them authorised. And that too for 365 days. Why? During our (Hindu) festivals you give us permission for 10 days or three days and they are being given permission for 365 days? They (mosques) should also be given day-wise permissions. And they should follow the Supreme Court guidelines which have set decibel levels of sound,” the MNS chief said.
Thackeray had given a May 3 “deadline” to the state government for removal of loudspeakers from mosques in the state. He had also said that all Hindus should play the Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques in twice the volume of Azaan from May 4 if the loudspeakers are not removed.
Since the deadline was over on May 3, as a preventive measure, the police detained over 300 MNS workers on Wednesday and served preventive notices to over 15,000 workers.
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