Cops Detain MNS Leader for Playing 'Hanuman Chalisa' in Front of Shiv Sena HQ

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.

(File Photo: IANS)

Mumbai Police on Sunday, 10 April, detained Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Yashwant Killedar and a taxi driver for playing Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker installed on a taxi outside Shiv Sena's headquarters in the city.

The Mumbai Police also detained four other workers of the party and confiscated the loudspeaker and the taxi on which it was attached, reported PTI.

No case was registered after the police questioned them.

Meanwhile, after the detention of their co-workers, some MNS workers came together and sang Hanuman Chalisa and other religious songs at a small temple near the police station.

On 3 April, MNS leader Mahendra Bhanushali had been briefly taken into custody by the Mumbai police for playing the Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker without the required permission.

Reacting to the incident, Environment Minister and Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray slammed the MNS and said, "They are trying to revive their dead party."

He added that the party's Hindutva is known to everyone and they will fulfil what they have promised (during elections) to the people, reported news agency ANI.

Raj Thackeray's Warning

Sunday's incident comes after MNS chief Raj Thackeray on 2 April urged the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques, adding that if it was not done, he would play the Hanuman Chalisa on speakers.

"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," Raj Thackeray had said.

"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 further asserted.

Fadnavis Slams Shiv Sena, Calls it 'Pseudo-Secular'

On Sunday, BJP leader and former chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis has accused the Shiv Sena of being "pseudo-secular".

He questioned why some people get angry over the recital of "Hanuman Chalisa", and added that his party was not opposed to any particular religion but was against the appeasement of a particular community.

"No matter how much anybody hates saffron, it is the breath of BJP and the party will carry forward the saffron legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," Fadnavis said during a press conference in Kolhapur, reported by PTI.

He then shifted his focus to the other alleged failures of the Uddhav Thackeray led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

"There is tremendous anger against the MVA government among the people. This government did not provide relief to Kolhapur during floods (last year) and left people to die during the COVID-19 pandemic to hold elections to Gokul Co-operative Dairy," Fadnavis alleged.

The former Maharashtra CM was in Kolhapur to campaign for BJP candidate Satyajit Kadam for the Kolhapur North assembly bypoll that is supposed to be held on 12 April, after the sitting Congress MLA Chandrakant Jadhav died in December last year.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Mohit Kamboj in Maharashtra, on 5 April, offered to bankroll loudspeakers to play the Hanuman Chalisa to counter Azaan, as part of the campaign seeking to ban loudspeakers from mosques.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)