Mumbai:
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray will hold a mega rally in Aurangabad today (May 1). In the past few days, Thackerey has been vocal against the loudspeakers at the mosques.
Earlier on his way to Aurangabad to address a mega rally in hope to shake up the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Thackerey on Saturday visited the Sambhaji Maharaj memorial in Pune.
The MNS chief will talk about the loudspeaker row that has been in focus since Thackeray warned about removing the device (loudspeakers) from the religious places, specially from mosques till May 3.
He had said, “We don’t want riots in Maharashtra. No one has opposed the offering of prayers. We want the loudspeakers that are put up in the mosques and are illegal in the entire country should be taken down. If you do it on loudspeaker, then we will also use loudspeakers for it. Muslims should understand that religion isn’t bigger than the law. After May 3, I will see what to do.”
The MNS chief asked the Hindus to “wait till May 3” and play Hanuman Chalisa thereafter in front of the mosques that “don’t take down the loudspeakers.”
Following which, the state government mandated permission to install loudspeaker before May 3.
While departing for Aurangabad on Friday, the party workers celebrated with the sound of dhol-tasha.
Aurangabad CP Nikhil Gupta on Thursday informed, “MNS chief Raj Thackeray gets permission for his May 1 public meeting in Aurangabad.”
Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court charged a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner who sought prohibition on the rally of Thackeray, reported TOI.
It should be noted that the rally is being held amid the imposition of Section 144 in the city. The imposition will continue till May 9.
Thackeray, earlier, congratulated Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for removing nearly 11,000 loudspeakers from the religious places. Meanwhile, the volume of 35,221 loudspeakers was lowered as per the parameters till 4.00.
Thackeray tweeted a post saying, “I wholeheartedly congratulate and stand grateful to the Yogi Government for having removed the loudspeakers from religious places, specially the masjids.”
The MNS chief added that it was unfortunate that Maharashtra does not have leaders like Yogi Adityanath. He said, “Unfortunately in Maharashtra we don’t have any ‘yogis’; what we have are ‘bhogis’ (hedonists).”
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