Play Hanuman Chalisa Where Azaan Is Played On Loudspeakers Tomorrow: Raj Thackeray

Mumbai: The Hanuman Chalisa versus azaan row refuses to die down in Maharashtra.

Hours after a case was registered against Raj Thackeray for delivering an inflammatory speech at a rally in Aurangabad, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Tuesday reiterated his appeal to citizens to play the Hanuman Chalisa on May 4 if they heard loudspeakers playing the azaan.

“I appeal to all Hindus that tomorrow, the 4th of May, if you hear the loudspeakers blaring the azaan, in those very places, play the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers! That’s when they will realise the hindrance of these loudspeakers!” Raj wrote in a two-page post on Twitter, shared in Marathi and English.

Urging the police to show the country is governed by law and order, Raj reminded the Maharashtra CM – his cousin Uddhav – what Balasaheb Thackeray had said.

“I appeal to CM of Maharashtra that years ago, Shiv Sena Chief Hindu Hriday Samrat Shri Balasaheb Thackeray had stated that ‘all loudspeakers need to silenced’… Are you going to listen to this? Or are you going to follow what non-religious Sharad Pawar who is responsible to keep you in power?” Raj wrote.

He cited a Supreme Court order that had set the time and decibel limits on loudspeaker usage.

“The issue is that loudspeakers are unauthorised. In fact, many of masjids too are unauthorised. How is it possible that the government has given authorised permissions to unauthorised masjids to use loudspeakers. And if permissions are being granted, then Hindu temples also need to be given permission to play the loudspeakers.”

Stressing that this was a social issue, not a religious one, Raj further wrote: “People of every religion of this country are exposed to noise pollution. This very fact needs to be taken into consideration by all the governments of this country.”