Mumbai/Aurangabad: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray Sunday termed his cousin Raj Thackeray’s rallies “free entertainment”, and also said the call for ban on loudspeakers in mosques is another demand the MNS Chief is experimenting for political survival.
"I don't pay attention to such players. People have experienced exactly what games these players play and on what grounds. Sometimes they play the game of Marathi, sometimes of Hindutva...the people of Maharashtra have seen such games”, the Maharashtra CM said while speaking during an interaction organised by Marathi daily 'Loksatta'.
In the past, the MNS had raised the cause of Marathi people, while of late it has taken a pro-Hindutva stand.
"... In the last two years, theatres and cinema halls were shut due to the pandemic. So, if one is getting entertained for free, why shouldn't he/she enjoy it?" Uddhav Thackeray quipped.
In his rally in Mumbai and Thane held last month, Raj Thackeray had given an ultimatum to the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which Hanuman Chalisa would be played at a higher volume outside these religious places.
He reiterated his demand while addressing a rally in Aurangabad Sunday.
"It's now or never.... All loudspeakers must be removed after May 3. After (Ramzan) Eid.... From May 4, I will not listen to anybody. All Hindus will blare out Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques at double volume," Raj Thackeray said in Aurangabad.
Taking the demand on a bigger scale, he urged that loudspeakers must be taken off from all religious places all over the country, even from temples, but only after they are removed from the mosques.
Claiming that loudspeakers were a "social" and not a "religious" matter, he made it clear that if Muslims try to make it a 'religious' issue, then Hindus would also reply to it with religion.
"I request the police personnel here.... Go and start removing those loudspeakers right now.... This is not a new issue, it was always there, but I am giving the solutions.... It's now or never," he said.
The Maharashtra government during an all-party meeting called last week said law is equal for every one and if loudspeakers are removed from mosques, they must also be removed from temples.
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