Loudspeaker row: Raj Thackeray gives ultimatum, tells ‘Hindu patriots’ to be prepared by May 3

Raising the pitch for Hindutva, MNS president Raj Thackeray asked Hindu brothers to “be prepared” if loudspeakers are not removed from mosques by May 3. “I wish all the Hindu patriots of this country to stay till May 3 and after May 3, whatever mosques across the country will not take out loudspeakers, play Hanuman Chalisa in front of that mosque. If given, we will play Hanuman Chalisa 5 times,” said Raj Thackeray while addressing the journalists at the MNS city office in Pune on Sunday.

He had raised the issue of Hindutva with great fervor from Gudi Padwa, the beginning of the Hindu New Year. Remove the loudspeaker from the mosque or else Hanuman Chalisa will play. Since then, the issue of loudspeakers has heated up.

Stating that the loudspeaker issue is more a social issue than a religious one, Raj Thackeray said his party doesn't want peace in society to be disturbed, “but if the use of loudspeakers continues, then the Muslims will also have to listen to our prayers on loudspeakers”.

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“We do not want to end anyone's prayer, or are not even against it. We want the loudspeakers above the mosques, which are illegal. They should just remove them. And the clerics of mosques, who feel that their religion is bigger than this country and law and order, then it is not like that”, he added.

Talking about the rules for installing loudspeakers, Raj Thackeray said that the rules should be the same for all. Raj Thackeray said, “If someone takes out a political rally, then permission is required for loudspeakers, and who gives permission for azaan five times a day?”

According to him, “If there was a festival of Ganpati or Navratri, then we had to get permission for loudspeaker. So who has given permission to play the loudspeaker at the mosque 5 times?”

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