Mumbai: Ahead of Raj Thackeray's visit, MNS puts up 'Chalo Ayodhya' posters

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has put up 'Chalo Ayodhya' posters in Mumbai, appealing to people to join party chief Raj Thackeray on his visit to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on June 5.

In the poster written in Hindi, it reads, "Jai Shri Ram. Dharmada nahi main bhi dharm abhimani. Chalo Ayodhya (loosely translated as Jai Shri Ram. I am not religious for goodness' sake. I am a regious person. Let's go to Ayodhya.)" The MNS chief on Sunday termed the use of loudspeakers in mosques as "a social and not a religious issue" and exhorted that he was firm on the May 3 deadline for their removal.

Amid the ongoing political row over the use of loudspeakers at mosques, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday warned and said that if loudspeakers are not taken down then the Hanuman Chalisa would be played with double volume compared to Azaan (a call for prayer by Muslims) from May 4.

Addressing a gathering at Sanskrutik Mandal Maidan in Aurangabad, where a huge crowd was gathered, the MNS chief said on Sunday, "Today is the first day of Maharashtra (Maharashtra Day). I won't listen from the 4th day from now. Wherever we will see a loudspeaker, we will also chant Hanuman Chalisa in front of the loudspeaker in double volume." Thackeray further said that loudspeaker is not a religious issue but it is a national issue and warned that if they don't stop, then we will also take a stand.

"This is not a religious issue. It is a national issue but if you stop us, we will also take a stand. All the loudspeaker speaker is not under the law and it is illegal. The Supreme Court already said it was illegal, it was not a matter of Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad). When we take sabha they say it was an education zone, a temple zone, you can't take sabha, but for them, there is an objection. Who gave you rights?" asked the MNS chief.

On the loudspeaker issue, he said, "One journalist asked me why do you take a stand on loudspeakers today. I said that we chant Hanuman Chalisa and Muslims should listen. A Nashik journalist told me that he is a Muslim and that he also has a problem with loudspeakers. His children can't sleep." He further requested the state police to stop the use of loudspeakers otherwise "we won't keep quiet".

He also announced that he will do more rallies in Marathwada, Vidarbha and other cities as well.

"I will do rally in all cities Vidarbha, Kokan, west Maharashtra, east Maharashtra," he said.