If loudspeakers not removed from mosques by May 4, will play Hanuman Chalisa with double volume: Raj Thackeray

Addressing the gathering, Raj Thackeray said he was firm on the May 3 deadline for removal of loudspeakers, which he termed a nuisance, atop mosques. "I won't be responsible for what all happens after the May 3 deadline to remove the loudspeakers from the mosques," he said.

Aurangabad (Maharashtra): Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray Sunday addressed a massive rally in Aurangabad to mark Maharashtra Day during which he again raked up the issue of loudspeakers in mosques. The rally was held in the backdrop of the ultimatum given by Thackeray to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3.

Addressing the gathering, Raj Thackeray said he was firm on the May 3 deadline for removal of loudspeakers, which he termed a nuisance, atop mosques. "I won't be responsible for what all happens after the May 3 deadline to remove the loudspeakers from the mosques," he said. "From May 4, he said, all Hindus should play Hanuman Chalisa at double the volume of loudspeakers atop the mosques. If they (Muslims) don't understand nicely, we will show them the power of Maharashtra," he said.

Loudspeaker noise is not a religious issue but a social one, he said. All loudspeakers (atop mosques) are illegal. Is it a concert that so many loudspeakers are being used? he said. Thackeray said if Uttar Pradesh government could remove the loudspeakers, what was stopping Maharashtra government, led by his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray, from doing so.

At the beginning of his address, the MNS chief said that he hold rally in every district of Maharashtra even as he invoked Shivaji Rao. "Sambhajinagar is the center of Maharashtra. From now on, all my meetings will be held in every district of Marathwada," Thackeray said. Thackeray has been praising the Yogi government for pulling down loudspeakers from mosques and has even asked the MVA government in Maharashtra to learn from the UP government. MNS leader Nitin Sardesai, a close confidante of Thackeray, did not rule out the possibility of a tie-up between BJP and MNS.

Meanwhile, the area where the rally was organised saw a major security bandobast with over 3000 policemen deployed and additional police officers and staff called in from various districts on Saturday. Nikhil Gupta, Aurangabad police commissioner was quoted saying in a report that 8 Deputy Commissioners of Police, 8 ACPs, a team of 350 police personnel and 6 units of SRPF were called from neighboring districts for the rally. Also, around 2,000 police officers and staff were deployed in the city for security. The entire area was rigged with CCTVs to ensure optimum monitoring and avoid any deterioration of law and order.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said since he had seen the BJP deceive his "gullible" father and Sena founder Bal Thackeray, he himself was acting shrewdly with that party and cannot ignore the "games" it played in the guise of Hindutva. In a veiled attack on his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray, the chief minister said he does not pay attention to "new players" of Hindutva. Without naming the MNS, he also said the party was making experiments to see if any cause was working for it or not.

Speaking during an interaction organised by Marathi daily 'Loksatta', Uddhav Thackeray accused the BJP of deceiving Bal Thackeray during the latter's lifetime when the two parties were still partners.