Raj Thackeray, is likely to hold a meeting with the party’s top leaders at his residence on Tuesday. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief and the party top brass will prepare a strategy on the May 3 deadline given by the party for the removal of the loudspeakers from mosques.
The state government in Maharashtra has already started to proceedings in the loudspeaker ban case. In a statement issued yesterday the state Home Department stated that the use of loudspeakers at the religious sites will only be allowed with due permission.
In wake of the ongoing loudspeaker row in the state, Thackeray had on Sunday said that the Muslims in the country should understand that “religion is not above law and country” while also asking them to take down loudspeakers from mosques.
“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,” Thackeray said.
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”.
“I only have to say to the Hindus across India to wait till May 3. And after that, play Hanuman Chalisa in front of all such mosques that don’t take down the loudspeakers,” he said.
According to sources the meeting is also likely to discuss the agenda for the scheduled meeting on May in Aurangabad and also the MNS chiefs visit to Ayodhya which is scheduled in June.
(agency inputs)