Politics over ‘prayer’ set to take new turn

MUMBAI: Politics over the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ chants heated up in Maharashtra on Friday, as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leaders promised to recite the prayer over loudspeakers outside temples across the state on Saturday to celebrate the birth of Hindu god, Hanuman, even as some made communally-coloured comments about the use of loudspeakers outside mosques to recite the Azaan, a call to prayer in the Islam faith.

While MNS chief Raj Thackeray is slated to hold a “maha arati” in Pune on Saturday, BJP leader Mohit Kamboj took to social media platform Twitter to write: “(…) Hanuman Chalisa Noise Pollution, Azaan on loudspeaker - Prayer Right!” Khamboj had earlier said that he would distribute 10,000 loudspeakers among temples on Saturday and appealed to housing societies in the state’s capital to play the prayer inside lifts and on loudspeakers.

“Social harmony must be maintained between people from different languages and religious backgrounds. Maharashtra has a tradition of maintaining communal harmony but now I’m concerned as we are deviating from it.” SHARAD PAWAR,

NCP chief

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar who was touring Jalgaon in north Maharashtra on Friday said that he was concerned about the social harmony in the state. “No matter what, Maharashtra should stand united. Social harmony must be maintained between people from different languages and religious backgrounds. Maharashtra has a tradition of maintaining communal harmony but now I’m concerned as we are deviating from it,” he said.

“[Mohit Kamboj] is distributing

loudspeakers in his personal capacity. If someone wants to undertake a religious programme, no one should object to it,” BJP legislator Atul Bhatkhalkar said, adding that Khamboj had the support of his BJP in his actions.

The Mumbai police beefed up security arrangements and deployed additional force in communally sensitive pockets, including outside mosques around the city. The police have also been instructed to hold meetings with Mohalla committees and peace groups.