PUNE Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday further raised the Hindutva pitch by announcing his plans to visit Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on June 5. Thackeray, while speaking to reporters in Pune, said he plans to visit Ayodhya with his party colleagues to seek the blessings of Lord Ram. The MNS chief also announced that he will address a public rally in Aurangabad on May 1, celebrated across the state as Maharashtra Day.
“I have two announcements to make today. On May 1, I will address a public gathering at Sambhajinagar, Aurangabad. On June 5, I will visit Ayodhya along with MNS volunteers for darshan. I also appeal to others to come to Ayodhya,” Thackeray said during a press conference.
His announcement comes a day after Aaditya Thackeray announced that he would visit Ayodhya in the first week of May. Shiv Sena has already started preparations for Aaditya’s proposed Ayodhya visit with the party’s Nashik unit entrusted with making plans, according to party MP in the Rajya Sabha, Sanjay Raut.
Raj Thackeray also reiterated his stand that loudspeakers relaying the azan call is more a social than a religious issue. He said that they do not want the peace in society to be disturbed. But if the use of loudspeakers continues, then they (Muslims) will also have to listen to their (Hindus’) prayers on loudspeakers. Thackeray said that if the loudspeakers on mosques are not removed by May 3, MNS will play the Hanuman Chalisa eulogising Lord Hanuman on loudspeakers outside mosques.
“People think that loudspeakers atop mosques is a religious issue but for me, it is a social issue. If you want to play loudspeakers five times a day, then we will play ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ five times in front of mosques. I appeal to all Hindu brothers to be prepared. We will wait till May 3 when Ramzan ends. But if they don’t stop, and if they think that their religion is bigger than the judiciary, then we will give tit for tat. The MNS is preparing for it,” Thackeray said.
{{/usCountry}}“People think that loudspeakers atop mosques is a religious issue but for me, it is a social issue. If you want to play loudspeakers five times a day, then we will play ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ five times in front of mosques. I appeal to all Hindu brothers to be prepared. We will wait till May 3 when Ramzan ends. But if they don’t stop, and if they think that their religion is bigger than the judiciary, then we will give tit for tat. The MNS is preparing for it,” Thackeray said.
{{/usCountry}}On Saturday, Thackeray had performed a maha-aarti and recited the Hanuman Chalisa at a Khalkar Talim Hanuman temple in Sadashiv peth. In response to the MNS chief’s maha-aarti, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders too celebrated Hanuman Jayanti after which they hosted an iftar party at Karvenagar.
Meanwhile, leader of the opposition Devendra Fadnavis, who was in Pune, said, “Anyone who believes in Lord Shree Ram can visit Ayodhya. “Lord Shree Ram is revered by all and anyone can go and visit Ayodhya. There is a big temple being built there and we too go to see it in Ayodhya.” He was responding to Thackeray’s announcement about his proposed Ayodhya visit.