On Wednesday, Shiv Sena spokesperson Shital Mhatre and National Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Nilesh Bhosle refused to recite Hanuman Chalisa on national television after being challenged by a Muslim BJP spokesperson. “Hanuman Chalisa should be recited at home. Hindu dharma should be followed at home”, said the duo while in a ‘loudspeaker debate’ with News24.
The saga began when Shiv Sena’s spokesperson having nothing to say on the topic, challenged Shehzad Poonawalla to recite Hanuman Chalisa on national television. NCP spokesperson Nilesh Bhosle also joined Mhatre in targeting the Muslim BJP spokesperson. “Do you even know what Hanuman Chalisa is? I’ll appreciate it if the BJP spokesperson recites at least two lines of Hanuman Chalisa”, said Mhatre on May 4.
बीजेपी प्रवक्ता शहजाद पूनावाला ने टीवी पर पढ़ी हनुमान चालीसा, शिवसेना और एनसीपी के प्रवक्ताओं को दी चुनौती #RashtraKiBaat @manakgupta @Shehzad_Ind pic.twitter.com/v2cxPs36KI
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) May 4, 2022
Within no time BJP Spokesperson recited 4 lines of Hanuman Chalisa and cross-challenged Mhatre and Bhosle to complete the rest Hindu religious verses without searching them over the internet. “These people have been ‘requesting’ me to recite the religious verse. So I did. Now I want these two, Mhatre and Bhosle to complete the rest of Hanuman Chalisa without taking the help of Google. I apologize publicly for reciting a little bit of the religious verse. It is sin to leave the recitation in between but I now want Shiv Sena and NCP to recite the next four lines of the Hanuman Chalisa each”, Poonawalla stated.
Later the red-faced spokespersons of Shiv Sena and NCP clearly refused to recite the Hindu religious verse and said that ‘dharma must be followed at home’. “Hanuman Chalisa is Dharma for us. What do you think somebody will challenge us and we’ll recite Hanuman Chalisa? No. We believe that religion, dharma must be practised at home and not in the public”, said Mhatre. Bhosle added that Hanuman Chalisa should not also be recited in front of the Masjids.
Poonawalla slammed the duo for allegedly pretending to be followers of Hindu Dharma. He first mocked them saying that they challenged a Muslim to recite and he did, but now Shiv Sena spokesperson was not able to recite the Hanuman Chalisa. After that, he said that the ruling political party in the state of Maharashtra appeases Muslims by allowing them to read Namaz on roads. “You allow Muslims to offer Namaz in public for votes. Why can’t a Hindu recite Hanuman Chalisa in public? Do you tell Muslims to follow their religion at home, then why only Hindus must be barred from reciting Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers”, he pondered.
He reminded the panel that the debate was not about reciting Hanuman Chalisa but it was about the removal of loudspeakers from atop the Masjids and other religious places. Meanwhile, Maharashtra leader Devendra Fadnavis appreciated BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla for exposing the Shiv Sena and the National Congress Party. My night is made! When your role model and idol and Maharashtra’s true son Devendra Fadnavis Ji calls you and says he saw the viral News24 Hanuman Chalisa clip and loved how Shiv Sena and NCP spokespersons were exposed. Thank you, Sir. Maharashtra needs you asap”, Poonawalla said on Twitter.
My night is made !
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) May 4, 2022
When your role model & idol & Maharashtra’s true son @Dev_Fadnavis ji calls you and says he saw the viral News24 Hanuman Chalisa clip & loved it how Shiv Sena & NCP spokespersons were exposed
Thank you Sir
Maharashtra needs you asap 🙏 https://t.co/ieNQFnmFA1
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday called the loudspeakers a nuisance and said that he would not allow loudspeakers in religious places from May 4 onwards. He also said that if the loudspeakers were not taken down by May 4, then his party workers would play Hanuman Chalisa outside the mosques.
“I won’t be responsible for what happens after the May 4 deadline to remove the loudspeakers from the mosques,” he had said, adding, “loudspeakers is a social issue, but if it is being made a religious one, then we shall give a reply in the same manner. Eid will be celebrated on May 3. We don’t want to vitiate the atmosphere. But from May 4, we’ll not listen to anyone. Loudspeakers have no place in religion. If they (Muslims) don’t understand nicely, we will show them the power of Maharashtra.”
Pertinently, the MNS workers yesterday recited Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers during the morning azaan in Mumbai’s Charkop area. The party workers also played Hanuman Chalisa in Nashik, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. The state police who was on alert since Thackeray’s rally in Aurangabad detained many of the MNS party workers for performing Maha Aartis and reciting Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.
The Police booked Thackeray and the organisers of the Aurangabad rally for inciting the public. The Mumbai Police also has served a notice to Thackeray under CrPC section 149 related to preventing cognizable offences. While MNS leaders have threatened to hit the streets in case of further action against their party head, the security at Thackeray’s residence in Mumbai has been doubled.
