Police have deployed tight security in Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra
Team Clarion
MUMBAI — The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers launched their campaign to play ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ outside certain mosques in Mumbai and other parts of the state where ‘azan’ was relayed on loudspeakers, on Wednesday morning.
A day after MNS chief Raj Thackeray gave a call to recite the religious hymn to protest against loudspeakers blaring ‘azaan’, some party workers played Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker near a mosque in Charkop area of Mumbai on Wednesday morning.
In a video, an MNS worker, holding the party flag, was seen playing the Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker from a high-rise here. In the background, the ‘azaan’ could be heard from a loudspeaker of a nearby mosque.
मुंबईच्या कांदिवली पश्चिम चारकोप विधानसभेच्या संजय नगरमध्ये अजानच्या वेळी मनसेने हनुमान चालिसाचे पठण केले. व्हिडिओ आज पहाटे ५ वाजल्याचा आहे. अजानच्या वेळी काही मनसे कार्यकर्त्यांनी इमारतीच्या टेरेसवर चढून मनसेचा झेंडा फडकावत हनुमान चालीसा वाजवली. @mnsadhikrut @SandeepDadarMNS pic.twitter.com/QoCWdsPOT2
— Omkar Wable (@MrWabs) May 4, 2022
Undeterred by the registration of a case against him, late on Tuesday night, MNS President Raj Thackeray had issued an appeal to all Hindus to blare out ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ outside any mosque using loudspeakers and not disturb those masjids which have already stopped using the public address systems.
In an open letter, Thackeray had asked people to lodge complaints with police by dialling 100 if they are disturbed by the sound of ‘azaan’.
“I appeal to all Hindus that tomorrow, the 4th of May, if you hear the loudspeaker blaring with azaan; in those places, play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. That’s when they will realise the hindrance of these loudspeakers,” the MNS leader had said, reports PTI.
Police have deployed tight security in Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra, aided by over 30,000 Home Guards, QRT and other units, and there have been no reports of any untoward incidents so far.
Mumbai Police Commissioner personally went around some sensitive spots in Dharavi and south Mumbai to oversee the security arrangements and deter MNS workers from creating any law and order issues, reports IANS.
In places like Kandivali in Mumbai, pockets of Thane, Pune and Nashik, some MNS workers were seen playing Hanuman Chalisa on portable loudspeakers as ‘azan’ was heard on local mosques, though at low decibels.
Meanwhile, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government ministers and officials reviewed the current situation and chalked out the future plans as the MNS remained adamant on its agitation despite all preventive measures.
(With inputs from agencies)
