Despite police action on MNS workers, Raj Thackeray says anti-loudspeaker protests will go on

Police personnel stand guard outside a mosque after MNS called for agitation outside mosques at Janta nagar Chembur (W). Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

MNS president Raj Thackeray has refused to bow down to police action after his diktat, and announced that the Hanuman Chalisa protest would continue as long as loudspeakers remain atop mosques. The announcement came as his party's rank and file were detained by the police. Six workers including general secretary Sandeep Deshpande were booked during the day in separate incidents related to the party chief's call.

MNS president Raj Thackeray has refused to bow down to the police action and announced that the Hanuman Chalisa protest will continue as long as loudspeakers remain atop mosques. The announcement came as his party's rank and file were detained by the police.

MNS president Raj Thackeray

Despite being booked for hate speech in Aurangabad, Thackeray was unfazed. He had appealed to Hindus to retaliate by using high decibel loudspeakers to play Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosques that use the public address system (PAS) if loudspeakers were not pulled down by May 4. MNS and other right-wing organisations attempted disruption on Wednesday, but they were foiled by the police. In places like Mumbai, most mosques avoided confrontation by skipping the use of PAS for morning azaan.

Thackeray lauded the mosques that have either voluntarily removed loudspeakers or did not use them to give morning azaan on Wednesday. He thanked the priests for making a collective effort to understand his concern over noise pollution. But he demanded police action against 135 mosques in Mumbai that have violated the Supreme Court's directives by blaring azan before 6 am. He demanded that not only Muslim places of worship but those belonging to other religions, including Hinduism, face the law for violating sound pollution norms.

Police stand guard outside a mosque in the wake of MNS agitation, at Tilak Nagar Wednesday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

"This isn't a one-day protest and not just about morning azaan. Protest will continue as long as loudspeakers remain atop mosques and azan is given five times a day. Our office-bearers and workers have been issued notices and detained for following the SC's directives. Why only us who follow rules? Why do others get the freedom to do anything?" he asked.

He questioned why unauthorised mosques were authorised by the police to use loudspeakers. "How can they get permission for 365 days a year while others are given day-specific nod?" he said, adding that counting decibels wasn't the police's job, but it was for "the people who considered religion over humanity" to help resolve a social issue like this.

Raj Thackeray addresses media at his Shivaji Park home Wednesday. Pic/Atul Kamble

He said his Aurangabad speech was interrupted by azaan, but he told the police to stop it. "What would have happened if I had told the rally's audience? If they are converting it into a religious issue, then, we will also do the same," he said.

Thackeray said it was time to see what action the apex court proposes against the states that have caused contempt by not implementing its directives. "We requested the state government first, and when it was not heard, we started protesting. We don't want communal riots, but press for peace in the state and country," he said.

BJP using Raj: Raut

Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the BJP has been using Raj Thackeray's shoulders to fire its guns. He said Wednesday was a black day for Hindutva as Hindu temples have been suffering because of the protest. "It is a conspiracy to divide Hindus and strangulate Hindutva. The BJP has made Raj Thackeray a sacrificial lamb for its politics," he said, adding that the temples, including Shirdi's, have not been able to use loudspeakers for the morning arti.

‘People reject divisive politics'

Congress leader and minister of state for Home Satej Patil said Raj Thackeray's agitation was likely to push Maharashtra back by 5 to 6 years and the people of the state have shown that they do not pay heed to the politics of polarisation. "Thackeray should think if he wants to escalate the problems of inflation, and unemployment and prohibit investment from coming to the state by announcing such agitations," he said.

"State government and police department have been doing their work. We have deployed 87 units of State Reserve Police Force and 30,000 home guards to handle the situation in the wake of the call of protest given by Raj Thackeray," he said.