News Analysis India

Tag: Hanuman Chalisa

  • Government college students in Jammu recite Hanuman Chalisa in protest against mosque loudspeaker

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Some students of Government Gandhi Memorial College here on Friday recited Hanuman Chalisa in protest against use of loud speaker by a local mosque, officials said.

    However, police later stopped them from reciting Hanuman Chalisa and detained half-a-dozen students, though they were later let off.

    According to the officials, as students were studying in class rooms, there was use of loud speaker by a local mosque, triggering protests by the students that there is disturbance to their studies at the GGM College.

    Angry over violation of use of loud speaker and failure of authorities to stop it, students resorted to chanting of ‘Hanuman Chalisa’.

    The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) on Tuesday had passed a resolution for the removal of loudspeakers and public address systems operating without permission from religious and public places.

  • ‘No one should teach Hindutva to Shiv Sena’: Sanjay Raut hits back at Raj Thackeray

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday asserted that there was no violation of loudspeaker guidelines in Maharashtra and said no one should teach Hindutva to his party.

    Without taking names of the BJP and MNS, Raut told reporters that people do not take cognisance of people who, with the support of “pseudo Hindutvawadis”, conspire against the Shiv Sena.

    Notably, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has been targeting the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and has given a call for “silencing” loudspeakers atop mosques.

    Raut said, “There is no violation of loudspeakers (guidelines) in Maharashtra. The state is working according to the guidelines on loudspeakers laid down by the Supreme Court. If anyone is violating the law, then the government is capable of (tackling) it.”

    “The situation has not reached a level where an agitation (on the loudspeaker issue) is needed in Mumbai or Maharashtra. All mosques have taken permission for the use of loudspeakers,” the Rajya Sabha member said.

    His remarks came after the MNS chief on Wednesday tweeted an old video of late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, in which the latter was seen saying the day his party comes to power, offering namaz on roads will be stopped and loudspeakers from mosques will be removed.

    To this, Raut said, “We have not stooped that low. We still run on his principles. Balasaheb had taken a stand on loudspeakers and offering of namaz on road. He stopped it after coming to power. No one should teach Hindutva to the Shiv Sena.”

    The Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson, without naming Raj Thackeray said the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government (comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) was running as per law and not on anyone’s ultimatum.

    “Maharashtra has a Thackeray government. Even if the state has a Maha Vikas Aghadi government, it is helmed by Uddhav Thackeray. He is the Sena chief, son of Hinduhriday Samrat Bal Thackeray. So, he doesn’t have to take advice on praying on roads during namaz and illegal loudspeakers on masjids,” Raut said.

    Asked about MNS workers playing the Hanuman Chalisa near some mosques, he said, “I have not seen any agitation. If there are no unauthorised loudspeakers, then you have to decide whether you are staging a protest or doing an illegal act.”

    Meanwhile, trouble mounted for Raj Thackeray after the Aurangabad police on Tuesday registered an offence against him over his “provocative” speech on loudspeakers atop mosques two days ago, while the Maharashtra DGP said appropriate legal action will be taken against him over the issue.

    In related developments, a court in western Maharashtra’s Sangli district has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Raj Thackeray in connection with a 14-year-old case, while the Mumbai police served him a notice under a CrPC section related to prevention of cognizable offences.

    Sending out a blunt message to the MNS president over his May 3 deadline for removal of loudspeakers from mosques, the ruling Shiv Sena said the state does not run on ultimatums and that the rule of law prevails here even as some MNS leaders warned they will hit the streets in case of further action against their leader.

    The police in Aurangabad, located more than 350km from Mumbai in central Maharashtra, on Tuesday registered a case against Raj Thackeray, two days after he called for “silencing” loudspeakers atop mosques from May 4, an official said.

    The 53-year-old politician was booked under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 116 (abetment of an offence punishable with imprisonment if the offence be not committed) and 117 (abetting commission of the offence by the public or by more than 10 persons) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, the official told reporters.

    In the Aurangabad rally on May 1, the MNS chief had asked people to play the Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques from May 4 if loudspeakers there were not removed.

    Unfazed by registration of the case, Raj Thackeray in the evening urged people to play the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers on Wednesday wherever they hear loudspeakers “blaring azaan (Islamic prayer call)”.

    In an open letter, he asked people to lodge complaint with the police by dialing 100 if they are distributed by the sound of ‘azaan’.

    “One must complain daily,” the MNS leader said.

    “I appeal to all Hindus that tomorrow, the 4th of May, if you hear the loudspeaker blaring with azaan; in those places, play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. That’s when they will realise the hindrance of these loudspeakers,” Raj Thackeray said in the letter.

    Late in the evening, the Mumbai police served a notice to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief under CrPC section 149 related to preventing cognizable offences, an official said.

    The Shivaji Park police station official said the notice has been served as a precautionary measure.

    The police have issued precautionary notices under various sections of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) to more than 300 people in the Central Mumbai region, including prominent MNS leaders, he said.

    Notices under section 149 of the CrPC are served to prevent cognisable offences.

    Cognizable offences are those in which the police can arrest someone without any warrant.

    Earlier in the day, Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth said the Aurangabad police commissioner will take appropriate legal action against Raj Thackeray over his speech against loudspeakers atop mosques.

    “The Aurangabad CP is looking into the speech. He will take whatever legal action that is needed today itself,” the DGP told reporters in Mumbai.

    Notices under section 149 of the CrPC have been issued to over 13,000 people, Seth said.

    Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Seth and senior police officials reviewed the law-and-order situation in the state in the backdrop of the MNS chief’s deadline on the removal of loudspeakers.

    “The Maharashtra police are capable of handling any kind of law-and-order situation. SRPF and Home Guards have been deployed in the state,” Seth said.

    The leaves of all police personnel have been cancelled, the DGP said.

    A court in Sangli district has issued a non-bailable warrant against the MNS chief in connection with a 14-year-old case.

    In 2008, Raj Thackeray was booked under sections 109 and 117 (abetment of offence) of IPC for allegedly making inflammatory speeches.

    While issuing the non-bailable warrant on April 6, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, at Shirala in Sangli district asked the Mumbai police commissioner to arrest the MNS chief and present him before the court.

    The judge issued the warrant against Raj Thackeray and another MNS leader Shirish Parkar through the Mumbai police commissioner and the Kherwadi police station, respectively, as they failed to appear before the court during the case proceeding, said assistant public prosecutor Jyoti Patil.

    She said the court has asked the police to implement the warrant before June 8 and produce both the leaders before the court.

    In 2008, MNS workers staged a protest in Shirala against the arrest of Raj Thackeray in an agitation seeking priority for local youth in jobs.

    Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Shiv Sena MP and the party’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said suitable action will follow if someone gives inflammatory speeches.

    “The government does not run on an ultimatum. There is rule of law in the state,” Raut said.

    MNS leaders warned they will hit the streets in case of further action against their party head.

    The party’s Thane district president, Avinash Jadhav, criticised Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the issue of the removal of loudspeakers from mosques.

    Jadhav claimed it was Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray who had first demanded the removal of loudspeakers from mosques, but his son (Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray) has booked Raj Thackeray for making a similar demand.

  • MNS chief shares Bal Thackeray’s old video, ups ante against mosque loudspeakers

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray seems undeterred despite being booked by the state police as he persists with his anti-loudspeaker campaign, as he on Wednesday shared a video of the Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray in which he is seen speaking against the use of loudspeakers and Muslims offering prayers on the roads.

    Raj Thackeray had recently posed in Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s trademark attire in a social media post. Raj Thackeray is incidentally attempting an image makeover to revive his political fortunes in the state by embarking on hard Hindutva.

    ALSO READ | Loudspeaker row: MNS workers play Hanuman Chalisa near mosque in Mumbai, heavy security deployed

    In the video, shared by Raj Thackeray, Bal Thackeray is heard saying that the Shiv Sena will not rest until it is successful in preventing people from offering namaz on roads when it comes to power in the state.

    “We (Shiv Sena) will not stop until we are successful in preventing the people from offering namaz on roads when we will form the government in Maharashtra,” Bal Thackeray said in the video posted by the MNS chief on his Twitter handle today.

    “If someone has any complaint about the Hindu religion, then they can come to us, and we will solve the issue. Loudspeakers will be removed from the mosques,” Bal Thackeray said in the video shared by Raj Thackeray.

    The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief on April 12 gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.

    A case was filed against Raj Thackeray on Tuesday when he appealed to people to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers in the areas where loudspeakers are used for ‘Aazan’ from today.

    He also announced that he will hold more rallies in Marathwada, Vidarbha and other cities as well.

    Meanwhile, Mumbai Police seized loudspeakers from the MNS office and detained the party’s Chandivali unit chief Mahendra Bhanushali and others on Tuesday.

    Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday had ordered the police to take all measures to maintain law and order and not wait for anyone’s order. Uddhav Thackeray also held a telephonic conversation with the Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth. 

  • Hanuman Chalisa row: Court order on bail plea of Rana couple now on May 4

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s MP-MLA couple Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana, arrested over the Hanuman Chalisa row, will have to remain in jail at least for a few more days as a special court here on Monday said it will give its ruling on their bail plea on May 4.

    Earlier, special judge R N Rokade had reserved the order for Monday. But the order couldn’t be delivered as the court was busy with other matters and dictation (of the bail order of Ranas) was not completed.

    The judge said he will now pass the order on May 4. Independent Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana were arrested on April 23.

    The couple had moved the court seeking bail in an FIR registered by the Mumbai Police against them on charges of sedition and promoting enmity following their public declaration of reciting the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’ in suburban Bandra.

    On Saturday, both prosecution and defence completed their arguments on the bail application.

    Their bail plea said the call to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree’ cannot be said to be aimed at promoting feelings of enmity or hatred among different group and this charge under IPC section 153(A) cannot be sustained.

    There was no intention on the part of the applicants (Ranas) to instigate people or spread hatred by reciting the Hanuman Chalisa near the CM’s private residence, their plea said.

    “It is submitted that by no stretch of imagination, can the acts of the Applicants be stated to constitute the offence of sedition,” the plea said.

    Further, the Mumbai Police had issued a notice to the couple under section 149 of the CrPC (dealing with preventing cognizable offences) and the applicants had complied with their direction and not stepped out of their residence, it added.

    Navneet Rana, the Lok Sabha MP from Amravati in eastern Maharashtra, and Ravi Rana, the MLA from Badnera, had eventually dropped their plan to recite the Hanuman Chalisa (hymns dedicated to Lord Hanuman) outside Thackeray’s private residence citing the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mumbai for an event.

  • Sena fighting those who plan to divide India by causing riots in name of Hanuman Chalisa: Raut 

    Sanjay Raut made the comments a day after Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey took a potshot at the Uddhav Thackeray government over 'arresting people for reciting Hanuman Chalisa'.

  • MP Navneet Rana was not ill-treated by police, says Maharashtra home minister 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil on Tuesday denied Independent MP Navneet Rana’s accusation that she was ill-treated in police custody after her and her husband’s arrest on Saturday.

    Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has sought information about the accusations and it will be provided, he added.

    In a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Navneet Rana alleged that she was ill-treated on account of her caste and not given even water at the Khar police station.

    ALSO READ: After Mumbai top cop posts tea-sipping clip, Rana says she was ill-treated in lock-up of Santacruz cops

    After police earlier in the day released a video showing her drinking tea at the police station, her lawyer said the incident took place at Santacruz police station and not at Khar station.

    “I personally sought information about the accusations of Lok Sabha member Navneet Rana that she was ill-treated by police officials because she belongs to a lower caste,” Walse-Patil told reporters.

    “I did not find any evidence backing her allegations. It is a fact that no such incident has taken place in the police station,” the minister added.

    Action was taken against the Rana couple “within the legal frame”, he said, adding that he would not comment further as Nanveet Rana has approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over the issue.

    “He (speaker) has sought information from us and we will send it,” Walse-Patil added.

    On the grant of permission for Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray’s rally in Aurangabad on May 1, the home minister said decision will be taken in the next couple of days.

    “The decision on whether to grant permission will be taken by the local police commissioner and not the state government,” he added.

    Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana were arrested on Saturday after they announced that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’ in Mumbai.

    The announcement triggered angry reaction by Sena workers.

    The couple later backed out, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai the next day.

    The lawmaker couple, now booked for sedition besides other charges, is currently in judicial custody. 

  • Hanuman Chalisa: HC refuses to quash FIR against Ranas; says public officials must act more responsibly 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court Monday dismissed a writ petition filed by lawmaker couple Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana, arrested under various charges in connection with the Hanuman Chalisa controversy, seeking that one of the two FIRs registered against them under section 353 of the IPC be quashed.

    The court said the petitioners and all others occupying public positions must act more responsibly and show respect towards other public persons.

    “As is often said, with great power comes great responsibility,” a bench of Justices P B Varale and S M Modak observed, adding they found no merit in the plea filed by the Rana couple.

    ALSO READ | ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ row: MP Navneet Rana, MLA-husband move court seeking bail in sedition FIR

    The bench, however, said that if the police decide to arrest the Ranas or take any other coercive action against them based on the second FIR, it must give them notice of 72 hours.

    The Khar police in Mumbai registered two FIRs (First Information Reports) against Independent MP from Amravati Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana between April 23 and April 24, following their statement that they would recite ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ outside Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence, ‘Matoshree’ in Bandra on April 23.

    Their announcement triggered angry protests by Shiv Sena workers who gathered outside the couple’s residence in Khar area on Saturday seeking their apology.

    The first FIR against the Ranas was filed at Khar police station around 5:30 PM on April 23 on the charge of promoting enmity between different religions.

    The police subsequently added the charge of sedition to this FIR.

    On April 24, a second FIR was filed against the Ranas at around 2 AM under section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code.

    According to the second FIR, when the Rana couple was arrested and asked to get in the police vehicle, they argued with the police and “some dhakka-bukki (jostling)” took place.

    The Rana couple, currently in judicial custody, approached the high court on Monday morning seeking the quashing of the second FIR through advocate Rizwan Merchant.

    Merchant told the HC that all the offences were part of the same event and that two separate FIRs had been registered by the police out of vendetta- so that if granted bail in the first FIR, the Ranas can be arrested in the second FIR.

    Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Pradip Gharat argued that both the FIRs were the result of two separate incidents- the first was based on the declaration of the recitation (of Hanuman Chalisa), and the second one was registered when the couple resisted arrest.

    The high court said it found merit in the SPP’s submission.

    “These are two independent, different events and not part of the same series of events. We find no reason to grant relief,” the HC said. 

    The bench, however, said that if the police decided to arrest the Ranas or to take any other coercive action against them based on the second FIR, it must give them prior notice of 72 hours.

    The bench said the Maharashtra government had been right in apprehending law and order problems following the couple’s public statements on reciting the Hanuman Chalisa at ‘Matoshree’.

    “The FIRs show that these are two independent occurrences. The first incident, of the petitioners reaching Mumbai, saying they were going to recite on April 23 gave rise to the first FIR,” the HC said.

    “The second incident of resisting arrest gave rise to the second FIR under section 353. The occurrence of both events is at different times. They are independent of each other and not part of the same central event,” it said.

    Merchant argued that the Rana couple had been arrested on the mere apprehension that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa.

    “They (police) registered a particular offence only because PM Narendra Modi was visiting the town (on April 24) and they thought there will be a law and order situation. But this programme was cancelled.

    They eventually publicly decided to drop the idea,” Merchant said referring to the Rana couple withdrawing their plan to recite Hanuman Chalisa on Saturday, a day ahead of the PM’s visit to Mumbai.

    “Also, they never said they will recite it ‘at’ ‘Matoshree’. They said ‘outside’ Matoshree,” Merchant argued.”

    The high court, however, said that cancelling the planned recitation “did not matter”.

    SPP Gharat argued that the Ranas were aware that PM Modi was visiting Mumbai on April 24 and that their plan would cause an “explosive situation” as the situation was already tense over the issue of loudspeakers at mosques.

    He also said that the police had initially booked the Ranas only on the charge of promoting enmity.

    But after speaking to witnesses and recording statements, the police realised that the recitation plan was a “cold and calculated move on their (Ranas) part to disturb the state government. Hence, the charge of sedition was added to the first FIR”.

    The high court said the state government’s fear seemed justified.

    “Such a declaration of the recitation at someone’s personal residence or even at a public place is certainly firstly the breach of the other person’s personal liberty (sic),” the HC said.

    “Secondly, the state is justified in its apprehension that such act of reciting religious verse at the CM’s private house would result in disturbance to law and order,” it said.

    “We made similar comments just two days back,” the high court said while referring to a hearing last week on Union minister Narayan Rane’s “slap” remark against Uddhav Thackeray.

    “But we are pained to say that our words fell on deaf ears.

    We realized that we cannot expect anything even from those occupying respectable posts ” the judges said and dismissed the plea of the Ranas, saying that it was devoid of merits.

    “The second FIR pertains to a different set of events. These aren’t a sequel to the first set of events. These are two independent, different events and not part of the same series of events, we find no reason to grant relief,” the bench said.

    This is not the MP-MLA couple’s first brush with controversy.

    The Bombay high court in June last year cancelled the caste certificate issued to Navneet Kaur Rana, saying it was obtained fraudulently using fabricated documents.

    In January this year, the Ranas had found themselves embroiled in another legal case, after Ravi Rana was booked for attempt to murder over an assault on the Amravati municipal commissioner.

  • ‘Painful, embarrassing for Maharashtra’: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis decries arrest of Rana couple

    By PTI

    MUMBAI BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday called the arrest of MP Navneet Rana and her husband and MLA Ravi Rana by Mumbai Police “painful” and “embarrassing” for Maharashtra.

    He also said the police did not act when a leader of the ruling Shiv Sena made threatening statements or the car of a BJP leader was attacked, but arrested the Ranas when they arrived in Mumbai to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s house.

    In a series of tweets, Fadnavis said, “The incidents in Maharashtra are painful. No FIR was filed when Mohit Kamboj’s vehicle was attacked or when a leader talks about burying a woman representative 20 feet under the ground. But when the Rana couple comes to Mumbai to recite Hanuman Chalisa, they are immediately arrested.”

    इतकी दंडुकेशाही इतका अहंकारइतका द्वेषसत्तेचा इतका माजसरकारच करणार हिंसाचारएवढीच तुमची मदुर्मकसत्तेच्या मस्तीत कसेही वागून घ्यापण, जनता सारे काही पाहते आहे !निव्वळ लज्जास्पदलोकशाहीत मत मांडण्याचा अधिकार संपला?लोकशाहीचे गार्‍हाणे गाणारे आज सोयीस्कर गप्प का?
    — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) April 23, 2022
    Kamboj, a Mumbai BJP leader, had claimed on Friday that his car was attacked near Matoshree, Chief Minister Thackeray’s private residence. Sena leader Raut said earlier on Saturday, without naming any person, that anyone who tried to test the patience of his party would be “buried 20 feet beneath the earth”.

    “Why is there so much arrogance of power? It is the state government that is instigating violence. Is your manhood limited to such behaviour,” Fadnavis, a former chief minister tweeted. “It is an utter embarrassment for the state to witness such a poor show. All this is happening before the people,” he added.

    He also asked if the arrest indicated that “people have lost their right to express their views”, and why those who speak about democratic values were “selectively silent”. Earlier in the day, speaking in Nagpur, Fadnavis said the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government’s way of handling the entire episode was “very childish”.

    “If allowed, the Rana couple would have gone there (Matoshree), recited Hanuman Chalisa and returned without creating any news. I don’t understand why so many people had gathered at several places as if they (Rana couple) were planning some attack. What kind of politics is this?” the BJP leader said.

    Mumbai Police on Saturday evening arrested MLA Ravi Rana and his wife, MP Navneet Rana, both Independent legislators from eastern Maharashtra, for allegedly “creating enmity between different groups” after escorting them out of their house in suburban Khar amid high drama.

    The development came hours after the couple cancelled their plan to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’ here.

  • Hindutva is in Shiv Sena’s blood, says Anil Desai as party workers try to break into MLA Ravi Rana’s residence 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena workers on Saturday morning broke through the barricades and tried to enter the premises of the Khar residence of Maharashtra MLA Ravi Rana and his wife MP Navneet Rana, who have decided to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s house here, police said.

    However, the police brought the situation under control and stopped the party workers from going further, an official said.

    The Ranas had on Friday said that they would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree’, the personal residence of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in suburban Bandra at 9 am on Saturday.

    Talking to reporters, Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai said, “‘Matoshree’ is a temple for Shiv Sainiks. Hindutva is in Shiv Sena’s blood, nobody should teach us Hindutva. People are aware of the work done during the pandemic by CM Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.”

    Shiv Sena workers, who have strongly objected to the politician couple’s plan, have been camping outside ‘Matoshree’ since Friday morning.

    Taking an aggressive stand, the party leaders and workers have said they will not let the couple go back without ‘prasad’ “if they dared to turn up”.

    “Around 8.45 am, angry Shiv Sena supporters broke through the barricades placed at a distance of around 50 meters from the apartment where the Ranas own a flat in suburban Khar. They tried to enter the apartment premises. Shiv Sena supporters raised slogans in support of Thackeray and dared the couple to step out of the residence,” the police official said.

    However, the police personnel deployed at the spot brought the situation under control and dissuaded the party workers from indulging in anything that would create a law and order problem, he said.

    On Friday, Mumbai police had served a notice to Amaravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband, Badnera MLA Ravi Rana, asking them not to disturb the law and order situation in the city.

    Navneet Rana has been provided Y category security by the central government.

    Ravi Rana had earlier told reporters here that he had demanded the chief minister read Hanuman Chalisa on Hanuman Jayanti “to rid Maharashtra of crises and attain peace for the state,” but Thackeray had “refused” to do so.

    The city police have stepped up security outside ‘Matoshree’.

    Barricades have been placed on the road leading to the Thackeray residence to avoid crowding, the official said.

    “In order to maintain law and order situation, the police have increased security and deployed large number of personnel outside ‘Matoshree’,” the official said.

    Early this morning, senior police officers, including zonal DCP Manjunath Singe, visited the place and took stock of security deployment, he said.

    Besides ‘Matoshree’, the police have also increased security at ‘Varsha’, the official residence of CM Thackeray in south Mumbai.

    A Shiv Sena supporter camping outside ‘Matoshree’ said, “We have accepted the challenge of the Rana couple. Let them come, we are ready to welcome them and give them ‘prasad’.”

  • Four MNS workers held for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ on loudspeaker outside Sena Bhavan

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Mumbai police on Sunday detained four workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ on a loudspeaker in front of the Shiv Sena headquarters in Dadar area, an official said.

    The police also seized the loudspeaker, a cab on which it was mounted and other items, he said.

    On April 2, MNS chief Raj Thackeray had demanded that loudspeakers at mosques be shut down and said if this is not stopped, “there will be speakers outside mosques playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at higher volume”.

    He had also criticised NCP chief Sharad Pawar, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra, accusing him of “playing the caste card from time to time and dividing society”.

    He had also taken potshots at Maharashtra Chief Minister and his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray, On Sunday morning, after being alerted about MNS members playing the religious hymn on a loudspeaker outside the Sena Bhavan, police reached the spot and detained MNS functionary Yashwant Killedar and three other workers of the outfit, the official from Shivaji Park police station said.

    Following their detention, a number of MNS workers gathered in a small temple located near the police station premises and start singing the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ and other religious songs.

    “We have detained four MNS workers for playing a loudspeaker in front of the Sena Bhavan. We are conducting further investigation into the matter,” the police official said.

    Last Sunday, some MNS workers had played the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ in front the party office in Kalyan town of neighbouring Thane district.