Raj Thackeray cancels 'Maha Aarti', says 'we should not disturb the festival of Eid'

Thackeray took to Twitter to make the announcement, wherein he addressed the 'soldiers of Maharashtra in his caption and urged them to not conduct any aartis tomorrow, when the Hindus shall also be celebrating the festival of Akshay Trutiya.

Mumbai: Amid the loudspeaker row in the state, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray declared that the 'Maha Aarti' to be conducted tomorrow shall be cancelled, so that 'there is no disturbance in the Muslim festival of Eid'. Thackeray took to Twitter to make the announcement, wherein he addressed the 'soldiers of Maharashtra in his caption and urged them to not conduct any aartis tomorrow, when the Hindus shall also be celebrating the festival of Akshay Trutiya.

'India will celebrate Eid tomorrow. I spoke about it yesterday at Sambhaji Nagar (in Mumbai). This Muslim festival should be celebrated without any disturbances. I request everyone to not conduct any aartis tomorrow, on the eve of Hindu festival Akshay Trutiya. We should not create disturbances in other communities' festivals. The loudspeaker issue is not a religious issue, it's a social issue and I will clarify what is to be done about it tomorrow through my Twitter handle,' the picture posted in his tweet reads.

Thackeray has been a key contributor in the loudspeaker row currently aflame in the state that has seemingly caught up a communal hue over the past weeks. After threatening to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers if the Azaan speakers on mosques aren't removed, the leader had flared up controversies leading to communal tensions in several parts of the states as well as among the political commands in Maharashtra.

Shortly after the statement, on April 19, Thackeray had declared the Maha Arti to be conducted on the eve of Akshay Trutiya in the city on May 3. In the most recent development over the loudspeaker row, Thackeray on Sunday said Hanuman Chalisa will be played in double volume if the loudspeakers not removed from mosques by May 4.