‘Play Hanuman Chalisa if you hear loudspeakers blaring azan on May 4: Raj Thackeray urges Hindus

The fresh appeal from the MNS chief came shortly after the Aurangabad police registered an offence against him over his "provocative" speech on loudspeakers atop mosques two days ago.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday appealed to all Hindus to play ''Hanuman Chalisa'' if they hear loudspeakers blaring out ‘azan’ on Wednesday (May 4, 2022), according to ANI.

"I appeal to all Hindus that tomorrow, the 4th of May, if you hear the loudspeakers blaring the azan; in those very places, play the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers! That's when they will realise, the hindrance of these loudspeakers!" MNS chief Raj Thackeray said, according to ANI.

"I appeal to all Hindus that tomorrow, the 4th of May, if you hear the loudspeakers blaring the azan; in those very places, play the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers! That's when they will realise, the hindrance of these loudspeakers!" - MNS Chief Raj Thackeray pic.twitter.com/f4b8npo5e0 — ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2022

The MNS leader also sought to remind his cousin and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray that years ago, Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray had stated that “all loudspeakers need to be silenced.”

I appeal to CM of Maharashtra that years ago, Shivsena Chief Hindu Hriday Samrat Shri Balasaheb Thackeray had stated that 'all loudspeakers need to silenced'...": MNS Chief Raj Thackeray — ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2022

The fresh appeal from the MNS chief came shortly after the Aurangabad police on Tuesday registered an offence against him over his "provocative" speech on loudspeakers atop mosques two days ago, while the Maharashtra DGP said appropriate legal action will be taken against him over the issue. 

Sending out a blunt message to the MNS president over his May 3 deadline for the removal of loudspeakers from mosques, the ruling Shiv Sena said the state does not run on ultimatums and that the rule of law prevails here even as some MNS leaders warned they will hit the streets in case of further action against their leader. 

The police in Aurangabad, located more than 350km from Mumbai in central Maharashtra, on Tuesday registered a case against Raj Thackeray, two days after he called for 'silencing' loudspeakers atop mosques from May 4, an official said. 

The 53-year-old politician was booked under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 116 (abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment if offence be not committed) and 117 (abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than 10 persons) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, the official told reporters. 

The Mumbai Police on Tuesday evening served a notice to Raj Thackeray under CrPC section 149 related to preventing cognizable offences. The Shivaji Park police station official said the notice has been served as a precautionary measure and it came after Raj Thackeray issued an open letter urging people to play the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers on Wednesday wherever they hear loudspeakers "blaring azan (Islamic prayer call)".

In the Aurangabad rally on May 1, the MNS chief had asked people to play the Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques from May 4 if loudspeakers there were not removed. 

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth said the Aurangabad police commissioner will take appropriate legal action against Raj Thackeray over his speech against loudspeakers atop mosques. The Aurangabad CP is looking into the speech, he added. 

He will take whatever legal action that is needed today itself, the DGP told reporters in Mumbai. Notices under section 149 of the CrPC (preventing cognizable offences) have been issued to over 13,000 people, Seth said. 

Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Seth and senior police officials reviewed the law-and-order situation in the state in the backdrop of the MNS chief's deadline for the removal of loudspeakers. 

"The Maharashtra police are capable of handling any kind of law-and-order situation. SRPF and Home Guards have been deployed in the state," Seth said. The leaves of all police personnel have been cancelled, the DGP said.

In a related development, a court in western Maharashtra's Sangli district has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Raj Thackeray in connection with a 14-year-old case.