2.3k detained, MNS chief says protest to continue

MUMBAI: Police arrested 56 people, mainly workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), for attempting to play the Hanuman Chalisa during morning prayers at mosques being offered through loudspeakers on Wednesday but defiant MNS chief Raj Thackeray said the agitation against loudspeakers at mosques will continue.

According to the police,eight first information reports (FIRs) were registered against MNS workers and local office-bearers, at least 2,300 people have been detained in the last two days and notices under Section 149 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) (pertaining to prevent cognizable offences) were served to another 7,000 people.

But Thackeray, who was booked on Tuesday for his provocative speech at a rally in Aurangabad on May 1, said his party workers will continue the protest as long as loudspeakers in mosques are not “silenced”.

Addressing a press conference, he hit out at the Maharashtra Police for detaining his party workers and “letting off” those who “do not follow the law”.

“Why is action taken against our workers while nothing is being done against those breaking laws? This issue is not restricted to the morning azaan alone. If a loudspeaker is being used for namaz four-five times a day, our people will continue to play the Hanuman Chalisa at double the volume. This (protest) is not restricted to a day,” he said. If mosques have to use loudspeakers, they must stick to the decibel limit prescribed by the Supreme Court, he added.

The ruling Shiv Sena, however, asserted no guidelines have been violated in the state.

“There is no violation of loudspeakers (guidelines) in Maharashtra. The state is working according to the guidelines on loudspeakers laid down by the Supreme Court,” said Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut. “If anyone is violating law, then the government is capable of (tackling) it.”

The SC has allowed use of loudspeakers only during certain hours and has set rules for sound decibel limits.

A senior police officer said the detained MNS workers at most places attempted to place loudspeakers outside mosques, while at some places, it was preventive detention. “At most places, the loudspeakers were not used for morning azaan in several districts like Parbhani, Osmanabad, Hingoli, some places in Jalna, Nanded, Nandurbar, Shirdi and Shrirampur,” the officer said.

“At several places, loudspeakers were used in permissible noise limits like at Nashik, Ahmadnagar, Jalgaon and almost at all places, speakers were on low volume,” he said.

State revenue minister and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said, “For him (Raj Thackeray), loudspeakers are not important, politics is. We have taken all steps and hence, whole situation is peaceful.” Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil, meanwhile, said: “He (Raj Thackeray) has been demanding the implementation of Supreme Court orders. But the way the state government has been treating it, is clearly discriminatory...”