Maharashtra govt to hold talks with Centre over loudspeaker issue: Aaditya Thackeray

Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Monday said that the a delegation of the state government will hold a meeting with the Central Government to discuss the issue of loudspeakers.

Thackeray informed that the decision was taken in the all-party meeting which was called by state Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil in the back drop of increasing communal tensions in the state.

The Home Minister demanded Centre to make a national level policy regarding loudspeakers which can be followed throughout the country.

"It's government's responsibility to maintain law & order. Police will take action if somebody violates it. If Centre makes a national-level rule over loudspeakers, issues won't come up in states. It was decided that an all-party delegation will meet Centre and discuss this", Dilip Walse Patil said.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis skipped the all-party meeting called by the Maharashtra government on Monday.

Besides this, Maharashtra chief minister Udhav Thackeray also did not attend the meeting. The meeting was chaired by Home Minister Dilip Walse and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at Sahyadri Guest House to discuss the law and order situation in the state amid the row over loudspeakers.

On the behalf of Shiv Sena, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde and Transport Minister Anil Parab attended the meeting whereas Textile Minister Aslam Shaikh and MLA Nana Patole represented Congress.

The Home Minister Dilip Walse on Sunday called for an all-party meeting amid the row over loudspeakers which started after the MNS chief Raj Thackeray asked the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques till May 3 while warning that if the demand isn't met, his party members will put loudspeakers to play "Hanuman Chalisa"