Poor response to MNS protest, but Raj defiant
MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray’s agitation against loudspeakers atop mosques did not evoke much response on day one even as the police took adequate precautions to prevent any attempts to create communal strife in the state. However, Raj insisted it was not a one-day agitation and would continue “till it reaches its logical conclusion”.
Raj, who recently adopted hardline Hindutva as his political agenda, had issued an ultimatum to the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3. He had also threatened to protest outside mosques by playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.
The MVA government, which had earlier said that it would deal with attempts to create communal disturbance sternly, ensured that the agitation fizzled out on day one. Besides issuing prohibitory notices to MNS leaders and prominent workers warning them of action if they resorted to any communal acts, it put some of them under preventive detention and a police force was deployed across the city, especially near mosques.
The police also convinced mosques not to broadcast Azaan on loudspeakers or maintain low decibel volumes. This resulted in 1,005 mosques of the total 1,140 not using loudspeakers for the morning Azaan.
Maharashtra remained majorly peaceful on Wednesday as the MNS workers resorted to symbolic demonstrations by performing Maha-aarti or chanting Hanuman Chalisa at temples in parts of Mumbai and Maharashtra. Some incidents were reported at Charkop in Mumbai, Nerul in Navi Mumbai and Washim in the Vidarbha region where MNS workers attempted to broadcast Hanu