MNS leader, taxi driver detained for playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeaker outside Shiv Sena HQ

Mumbai Police on Sunday detained a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader and a taxi driver in connection with the playing of ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ outside Shiv Sena’s headquarters in the city. Raj Thackeray’s party had announced to play the Hanuman Chalisa, a devotional hymn in praise of Lord Hanuman, outside Shiv Sena Bhawan in Mumbai on the occasion of Ram Navami as a protest against Azaan, the Islamic call from mosques for prayer at prescribed times of the day.

Mumbai Police stopped the Hanuman Chalisa that was being played on the loudspeaker installed on a taxi and detained MNS leader Yashwant Killedar and the taxi driver. The two were being questioned in connection with the case but no case was registered, reported news agency ANI.

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The heat over the Azaan row in Karnataka reached Maharashtra after the MNS chief asked the state government to remove the loudspeakers from mosques and warned of “putting loudspeakers in front of the mosques and play Hanuman Chalisa”.

“I am not against prayers, you can pray at your home, but the government should take a decision on removing mosque loudspeakers. I am warning now… Remove loudspeakers or else will put loudspeakers in front of the mosque and play Hanuman Chalisa,” said Raj Thackeray while urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raid mosques in Mumbai’s Muslim-dominated areas.

Thackeray claimed that Pakistan supporters are residing in the shanties and madrassas in such areas, alleging that MLAs use people who don’t even have Aadhar Card for their vote bank.

“I appeal to PM Modi to raid the Madarasas at the Muslim shanties. Pakistani supporters are residing in these shanties. Mumbai Police knows what’s happening there…Our MLAs using them for vote-bank, such people don’t even have Aadhar Card, but the MLAs get them made,” he had said.