On Tuesday, Raj Thackeray reiterated his stance. The MNS president once again asked his supporters to, "Play Hanuman Chalisa wherever the loudspeakers let out Azaan on Wednesday." The Azaan on loudspeaker row erupted when, on April 2, Thackeray warned that Hanuman Chalisa would be played outside the mosques from where amplifiers were not removed.
About ten days later on April 13, he set May 3 as the deadline for removal of loudspeakers from mosques. Maharashtra and Mumbai Police have been on toes ever since to prevent the inflammatory deadline from escalating into a law and order situation.
An FIR and a notice for the MNS chief
On Tuesday evening, the Mumbai Police served a notice to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief under CrPC section 149 to prevent cognisable offences. The police also served precautionary notices under several sections of CrPC to more than 300 other people, including MNS leaders.
In his 'inflammatory' open letter, Thackeray had also asked people to lodge a complaint with the police by dialling 100 if they got disturbed by the sound of Azaan (Islamic prayer call).
Maharashtra Government
The Home Department of Maharashtra, also set May 3 as the deadline for removal of amplifiers from mosques. The Maharashtra government has been taking action against the use of loudspeakers without permission at religious places. The state government also said that Hanuman Chalisa will not be allowed to be played on loudspeakers 15 minutes before and after Azaan is offered.
Situation under control
Meanwhile, in a news that came as a sigh of relief to many people, Police Commissioner Pune Amitabh Gupta on Wednesday said that situation was under control. He said that following Supreme Court guidelines, many mosques voluntarily did not play morning Azaan using loudspeakers. He also informed the media that as many as 2500 security personnel were deployed across the city anticipating a law and order situation.
In Mumbai, reportedly of the total 1140 mosques, around 135 of them used loudspeakers before 6am. Maharashtra Home Department issued a statement that appropriate action would be taken against these 135 mosques who violated the orders of the SC.
