Sri Ram Sene toes Raj Thackeray's line on loudspeakers ban in mosques

Dharwad: Toeing MNS Chief Raj Thackeray's path, Sri Ram Sene on Monday threatened BJP government in Karnataka to take down loudspeakers from mosques, if not Hanuman Chalisa will be played on loudspeakers from temples and mutts.

"Even after giving memorandum to the deputy commissioners, if this timid, unscrupulous and cowardly government does not take down the loudspeakers from mosques located at silent zones, then bhajans and omkara nadas will be played on loudspeakers from all temples and mutts from 5 am," Sri Ram Sene President Pramod Muthalik told reporters here.

This warning comes in the wake of Raj Thackeray's warning to Maharashtra government to take down loudspeakers from mosques.

"Why are loudspeakers in mosques played at such high volume? If this is not stopped, there will be speakers outside mosques playing Hanuman Chalisa at higher volume," he had warned at a rally in Mumbai's Shivaji Park on Saturday.

However, Muthalik clarified that his organisation is not against prayers, but loudspeakers blaring from mosques in the wee hours. Despite the court order against the playing of loudspeakers from mosques, the respective governments have not implemented it, he ruled.

"The Supreme Court had ordered against playing loudspeakers from mosques 20 years back. It had clearly stated that the loudspeakers should not be played between 10 pm to 6 am. And if anybody wants to use it, police permission should be taken. It also fixed the decibel sound of the loudspeakers. The Court ordered that no loudspeakers should be played in silent zones. But these orders are being violated," he said.

Also, the campaign against loudspeakers from mosques is not new, it is an ongoing campaign against it.

"Six months back, we submitted a memorandum to all tahsildars across Karnataka in this regard. Nothing happened. Then we submitted it to the pollution control board. Nothing happened. Lastly, we have decided to submit the memorandum to the deputy commissioners. So, this campaign is not new," he said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra police have detained one of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers in Mumbai and released him after imposing a fine.

MNS worker Mahendra Bhanushali was detained after he installed loudspeakers on a tree and started playing Hanuman Chalisa in suburban Mumbai's Chandivali area.

Joining the issue, Maharashtra BJP asked police to take the same action against playing azaan on loudspeakers without permission across Mumbai.

"Law is equal for all," BJP leader Mohit Kamboj Bharatiya tweeted. (UNI)