MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray maintained his adamant stand of playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers at every part of Maharashtra till they are switched off at mosques. This despite FIRs and non-bailable warrants issued against him for disrupting communal harmony in the state.
At a press briefing, Raj stressed that his protest was ‘not a one-day issue. “If mosques don’t follow guidelines, then Hanuman Chalisa will be played at double volume. Students and ill people suffer because of loudspeakers.”
The MNS chief again reiterated that his stand against loudspeakers was not on religious but on social grounds and added that the loud recitations from mosques were leading to noise pollution. “Why is action being taken against our workers while nothing is being done against those flouting laws? This issue is not restricted to the morning azaan alone. If a loudspeaker is being used for namaz four-five times a day, our people will continue to play the Hanuman Chalisa at double the volume.”
If mosques have to use loudspeakers, they must stick to the decibel limit prescribed by the Supreme Court, he added. The Maharashtra government had made extensive arrangement to maintain law and order after Raj had threatened to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers whenever azaan is recited from mosques. There were reports that loudspeakers either were switched off during azaan at several places in Maharashtra or they were used on low volume.
On Wednesday, Raj thanked those clerics who did not use the loudspeakers for the traditional prayers.
“We have to respect and implement the Supreme Court’s order for the loudspeakers...,” he said, adding that he did not want to take credit for the mosques removing loudspeakers.