Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers played Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker near a mosque in the Charkop area of Mumbai on Wednesday morning, a day after their party chief Raj Thackeray gave a call to recite the religious hymn to protest against loudspeakers blaring 'azaan'. 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.
In neighbouring Thane city, some MNS activists played the Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker at a spot in the Indira Nagar area. No mosque was located in the vicinity. Undeterred by the registration of a case against him, MNS president Raj Thackeray had on Tuesday urged people to play the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers on Wednesday wherever they hear loudspeakers "blaring azaan".
Read: Play Hanuman Chalisa if you hear loudspeakers 'blaring azaan': Raj Thackeray
Thackeray in an open letter had asked people to lodge complaints with the police if they are disturbed by the sound of 'azaan'. "I appeal to all Hindus that tomorrow (May 4), 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. Police have already beefed up security in Mumbai and several other parts of the state, especially where the MNS has a sizeable presence.
As a precautionary measure, the city police have already issued more than 1,600 notices under various sections of the Criminal Procedure Code, including 149 (for preventing cognisable offences), to MNS workers and others. The police had also conducted meetings with maulvis and trustees of various mosques and asked them to follow the Supreme Court guidelines and rules related to noise pollution. Heavy security was also deployed at many places in neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts. There was an elaborate police bandobast near the Jumma Masjid in Mumbra township of Thane.
Some MNS workers had plans to play the Hanuman Chalisa near there, but they left after the 'azaan' was not heard outside the religious premises. Mumbra police station's senior inspector Ashok Kadlag said the situation was under control and there was no report of any untoward incident so far. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone-II, Bhiwandi, Yogesh Chavan also said the powerloom town in Thane was peaceful.
Read: Mumbai: 803 of 1,144 mosques obtain police nod to use loudspeakers
