‘Demand for loudspeaker ban during azaan is to divide people’

Walse-Patil meets senior officers and reviews law & order situation

“Instead of thinking about welfare, education and development, there is an attempt to create conflict between two communities and make the country's politics unstable”

Amid demands by BJP and MNS to ban loudspeakers at the time of azaan and their call to their party workers to chant Hanuman Chalisa from temples, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip WalsePatil on Tuesday said the police are keeping a close eye to avoid any untoward incident across Maharashtra.

Walse-Patil, who at the meeting with the senior officers reviewed the law and order situation in the state, claimed that the agitation demanding ban on loudspeakers at the time of azaan was organized to create a feeling of uneasiness among the people and divide the people on religious lines.

Walse-Patil appealed to the people to cooperate with the police in maintaining the law and order situation and social and communal harmony in the state.

"It all started after the BJP launched an agitation in Karnataka against use of loudspeakers during azaan. This is also an attempt to divide the Hindu community. BJP wants to pursue a similar agenda in Maharashtra. However, the police are quite alert and keeping a vigil,’’ said Walse-Patil.

"Instead of thinking about welfare, education and development, there is an attempt to create conflict between two communities and make the country's politics unstable. This can lead to the country getting weakened, after which we will not be able to live in harmony," Walse Patil said.

The minister’s move to hold a meeting with the senior officers came in the wake of efforts by MNS workers to chant Hanuman Chalisa in temples to protest against the use of loudspeakers in the mosques at the time of azaan.