The Vishwas Hindu Parishad (VHP) has stated that it won’t participate in the Hanuman Chalisa event organized by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Maharashtra from May 4. VHP National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal said that VHP is an apolitical organization and they do not intend to support any political party or any program organized by any political party.
This is after reports emerged that VHP and Bajrang Dal activists supported the May 4 deadline for the removal of illegal loudspeakers from atop the mosques and would participate in the Hanuman Chalisa events organised by MNS from May 4. “Neither we nor the Bajrang Dal have extended any support to the MNS’ Hanuman Chalisa event. All the news coming in about the VHP and Bajrang Dal activists to be participating in the MNS’s program is fake, baseless, and far from the truth,” Bansal said on Sunday.
Thackeray in his Aurangabad rally had called the loudspeakers a nuisance and had said that he was firm on the May 4 deadline for the removal of loudspeakers from the mosques. He also had 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.”
Appeal to all pic.twitter.com/ptN8sLUA8Z
— Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) May 3, 2022
The VHP National Spokesperson however added that it had no problem with any political party organizing the event of recitation of Hanuman Chalisa. “The VHP believes that there should not be a ban on the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa in the country. If someone, however, is doing it for some political reasons, we do not support it,” Bansal added.
On Wedensday, the members of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena played Hanuman Chalisa 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 on Sunday, detained many of the MNS party workers for perform Maha Aartis and reciting Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.
Over 250 Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers have yet been detained for playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers: Maharashtra Police
— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2022
The Police also have booked Thackeray and the organizers of the Aurangabad rally for inciting the public. Thackeray however reiterated his remarks on Tuesday and appealed to all the Hindus to play the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers if they heard the loudspeakers blaring the azaan from May 4. The Mumbai Police has served a notice to Thackeray under CrPC section 149 related to preventing cognizable offenses. 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.
