TIL Desk/National/Mumbai/ The Maharashtra government has announced that permission has to be taken for playing Hanuman Chalisa or bhajans over loudspeakers. Bhajans will not be allowed within 15 minutes before and after the azaan. It will also not be allowed within 100 metres of the mosque. The aim of this order is to maintain law and order, the government said.
Deepak Pandey, Nashik CP, said, “All religious places have been directed to take permission for use of loudspeakers by May 3. After May 3, if anyone is found violating the order then legal action to be taken against the violators.”
In wake of the ongoing loudspeaker row in the state, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday said that the Muslims in the country should understand that “religion is not above law and country” while also asking them to take down loudspeakers from mosques.
“We don’t want riots in Maharashtra. No one has opposed the offering of prayers. We want the loudspeakers that are put up in the mosques and are illegal in the entire country should be taken down. If you do it on loudspeaker, then we will also use loudspeakers for it. Muslims should understand that religion isn’t bigger than the law. After May 3, I will see what to do,” Thackeray said. Ramzan is tentatively on May 3.
