MNS vows to mount more loudspeakers to play Hanuman Chalisa despite police action
India Today
On Saturday, Raj Thackeray, at a rally, demanded the removal of loudspeakers from mosques and threatened to install loudspeakers and play Hanuman Chalisa if his demands are not met.
A day after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray threatened to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers if the ones at mosques are not removed, one of his party workers in Mumbai followed through. The police detained him this afternoon and later released him after imposing a fine and warning him against repeating his act.
MNS worker Mahendra Bhanushali was detained after he installed loudspeakers on a tree and started playing Hanuman Chalisa in suburban Mumbai’s Chandivali area, a police official said.
Bhanushali was and the sound equipment seized. However, he was released after almost two hours after imposing a fine of Rs 5,500. Bhanushali was also served a notice to not repeat the act, the police said.
Condemning the police action, Bhanusahli said he was being harassed for “performing aarti”.
“Whatever Raj Thackeray had to say, he has already said and the orders are out. We will play Hanuman Chalisa every morning and evening from Wednesday in our party offices. Ideally, it would be 7 AM and 5 PM but the timings are yet to be worked upon. We don’t intend to disturb anyone, but for ten minutes we will use loudspeakers. The preparations are going to start from tomorrow. We have already placed orders for the loudspeakers,” a senior party official said, not wanting to be named.
On Saturday, Raj Thackeray demanded that loudspeakers in mosques be shut down. “Why are loudspeakers in mosques played at such high volume? If this is not stopped, there will be speakers outside mosques playing Hanuman Chalisa at higher volume,” he had warned at a rally in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park.
Also Read: | MNS chief Raj Thackeray tells Maharashtra govt to remove loudspeakers from mosques
