Agitation does not end here, says Raj Thackeray as majority of mosques stay away from Azaan

'Why do you want to use loudspeakers for prayers?', Thackeray asked Muslim clerics and religious leaders

The Raj Thackeray-led MNS on Wednesday launched its mega campaign against Azaan on loudspeakers by playing Hanuman Chalisa near some of the mosques even as a majority of them put them off during the morning prayer calls.

However, the 53-year-old Raj, the nephew of late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and estranged cousin of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, made it clear that the campaign against the loudspeakers would continue and was not limited to one day.

MNS leaders pointed out that as per the Supreme Court guidelines use of loudspeakers is prohibited between 10 pm to 6 am.

Also Read | Raj Thackeray tweets old video of Sena founder Bal Thackeray amid loudspeaker row

During the first Azaan of the day, wherever loudspeakers were used, MNS workers played or tried to play Hanuman Chalisa in audio speakers.

“We are ready to face action but action must be taken against them also for playing loudspeakers illegally,” said Pappu Kadam, an MNS leader from Indiranagar in Thane, who was among the first to play Hanuman Chalisa near a mosque in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Over the last couple of days, several MNS leaders were rounded up as a preventive measure and notices were slapped including Raj who was served a notice under section 149 of CrPC.

Massive security arrangements were in place across the state.

Additional deployments were made in Muslim community-dominated areas of Mumbai and elsewhere in the state.

Also Read | No violation of loudspeaker rules in Maharashtra: Raut

Top police officials including Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey himself were in the field overseeing security arrangements.

Around noon, Raj, in a hurriedly-convened press conference Shiv-teerth, his house at Shivaji Park area of Dadar, claimed success.

“The issue is not limited to the prayer calls for a single day but is a larger social issue,” he said.

“In Mumbai, there are 1,140 mosques….the reports that I received are that 135 have the Azaan….around 92 per cent of mosques did not give Azaan in the morning,” Raj said.

According to him, the issue is not limited to one day. “We hear it five times a day…why do you want to use loudspeakers for prayers,” Raj asked the Muslim clerics and religious leaders, and urged the people of India to also join the movement against loudspeakers in mosques.

Also Read | Play Hanuman Chalisa if you hear loudspeakers 'blaring azaan': Raj Thackeray

“Let me reiterate…I have said earlier several times and I am saying once again…this is not a religious issue but a social issue,” the 53-year-old charismatic leader said.

Without naming his estranged cousin and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, he said that he wants to know from the government what action they would take against the 135 mosques, that violated the Supreme Court order.

The apex court guidelines state that loudspeakers cannot be used between 10 pm and 6 am.

During the day, Raj also released an old video of his uncle and late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray in which he was speaking about Azaan on loudspeakers and Namaz on roads.

Raj further said that the issue is not about just one day. “The protest will continue and wherever Azaan will be played on loudspeakers, my Man-Sainiks will play the Hanuman Chalisa in double volume….It’s not only about not playing the loudspeakers at night or early mornings, during the daytime too, but loudspeakers should not be used.”