Days after a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader was arrested for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ on loudspeakers without permission, the party announced to play the Hindu devotional hymn outside the office of the Shiv Sena.
Maharashtra | MNS has announced to put a loudspeaker outside Shiv Sena Party HQ ‘Shiv Sena Bhawan’ in Mumbai and play Hanuman Chalisa on it today on the occasion of #RamNavami pic.twitter.com/CkQXME2aeX
— ANI (@ANI) April 10, 2022
MNS workers have announced to play Hanuman Chalisa outside the Shiv Sena Bhawan, which is located in Dadar West in Mumbai, on the occasion of Ram Navami. Ram Navami falls on the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri and marks the birth of Shri Ram
The Background of the ‘loudspeaker controversy’
On April 2, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray warned that if the government was not going to decide anything about the loudspeakers in the mosques, he would put double loudspeakers in front of the mosques and chant Hanuman Chalisa. He made the remarks while addressing the annual Gudi Padwa gathering of his party at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
He had stated, “I don’t oppose one’s right to pray but the loudspeakers on the mosques must be removed. I request the government to get them removed. Otherwise, I tell this right now, we will put double loudspeakers to chant Hanuman Chalisa right in front of those mosques.””
A day later, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena played ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at high decibels from loudspeakers, which were installed at its office in Ghatkopar in Mumbai. In a video shared by news agency ANI, a loudspeaker could be seen affixed to a tree outside the MNS office.
The Mumbai police then arrested MNS leader Mahendra Bhanushali for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ on loudspeakers without permission. Following his arrest, Bhanushali informed that the Mumbai police took away his speaker. “But I’d like to say, in the coming times, ‘Jai Shree Ram’ will be played on loudspeakers,” he said.
“No one takes permission, it isn’t just me. So action should be taken on everyone if it’s taken on me. The police did their job. Raj (Thackeray) Sahab says, never say anything to the police. Action should be taken wherever loudspeakers are used,” he further added.
