The Mumbai Police arrested Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Mahendra Bhanushali for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ on loudspeakers without permission.
According to the reports, MNS leader Mahendra Bhanushali had set up loudspeakers outside the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena office in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area to play ‘Hanuman Chalisa’. The party had installed speakers after MNS chief Raj Thackeray had warned to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers outside mosques if they did not remove loudspeakers for Azaan.
However, the Maharashtra government led by Uddhav Thackeray seems to have taken offence to the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ slogans played over loudspeakers and arrested the MNS leader for his act.
Following his arrest, Mahendra Bhanushali said that the Mumbai police took away his speaker. “But I’d like to say, in the coming times, ‘Jai Shree Ram’ will be played on loudspeakers,” he said.
“No one takes permission, it isn’t just me. So action should be taken on everyone if it’s taken on me. The police did their job. Raj (Thackeray) Sahab says, never say anything to the police. Action should be taken wherever loudspeakers are used,” MNS leader Mahendra Bhanushali further added.
Raj Thackeray issues stern warning to mosques
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray addressed the annual Gudi Padwa gathering of his party on 2nd April 2022 at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
In his fierce style, Raj Thackeray warned that if the government did not decide anything about the loudspeakers in the mosques, he would put double loudspeakers in front of the mosques and chant Hanuman Chalisa.
He also said that if the police properly check the mosques and madrasas in the slums of Mumbai, they will get to know many things. He also underlined the changing demographics of Mumbai and other places of Maharashtra and alleged that so many Muslims from Pakistan and Bangladesh have come and settled here.
Raj Thackeray had remarked, “I don’t oppose one’s right to pray, but the loudspeakers on the mosques must be removed. I request the government to get them removed. Otherwise, I tell this right now, we will put double loudspeakers to chant Hanuman Chalisa right in front of those mosques.”
“Which religion mentions loudspeaker? Was there any loudspeaker when your religion was invented?” he further emphasised.