Officers of the Mumbai Police on Tuesday seized loudspeakers from the office of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) amid tension over the party chief’s recent call to chant the Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques from May 4 if loudspeakers there were not removed by then. The MNS’ Chandivali unit chief Mahendra Bhanushali and others were also detained as part of the exercise.
When reporters asked Bhanushali, while being taken away, about his next move, he could be heard saying any order from the party chief “will be followed”.
This came amid a case being lodged in Aurangabad against the MNS supremo over his May 1 speech in the city when he had issued the ultimatum on the loudspeaker issue. The case was registered under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 116 (abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment-if offence be not committed) and 117 (abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than 10 persons) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, a PTI report said. Organisers of the rally were also booked, an official from the city Chowk police station said.
Also read | ‘Bagged a contract from BJP to disturb peace in Maharashtra’: Sena’s swipe at MNS
Hours ago, Maharashtra director general of police Rajnish Seth said the Aurangabad police commissioner will take appropriate legal action against Thackeray over his speech against loudspeakers atop mosques. A meeting was also held wherein home minister Dilip Walse Patil, DGP Seth and senior police officers reviewed the law and order. Another meeting chaired by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray was held over the issue.
Meanwhile, a court in western Maharashtra’s Sangli district issued a non-bailable warrant against the MNS chief in connection with a 14-year-old case and was booked under sections 109 and 117 (abetment of offence) of the IPC for allegedly making inflammatory speeches, according to a PTI report.
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