No provision for state govt to install or remove loudspeakers, says Dilip Walse-Patil
State government will hold a meeting with the Central Government to discuss the issue of loudspeakers, says Aaditya Thackeray
BJP boycotted the all party meeting while MNS chief Raj Thackeray sent party representatives
If someone has taken the role of Hitler, we felt its better to fight instead of a dialogue, says Devendra Fadnavis
Mumbai: Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil on Monday said the use of loudspeakers was allowed from 6 am to 10 pm and prohibited from 10 pm to 6 am as per the Supreme Court order of 2005, which was “applicable across the country”. Walse-Patil, after an all-party meeting on the issue chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, clarified that there was no provision for the state government to install or remove loudspeakers.
“It's the government's responsibility to maintain law and order. The police will take action if somebody violates the law. If the Centre makes a national-level policy over loudspeakers, these issues won't come up in states. It was decided that an all-party delegation will meet the Centre and discuss it,” he said. He added that there was a controversy over azaan. “If we decide on this, then what impact will it have on other religious events? We have the Ganpati festival, the Navratri, there is also the 'kakad aarti' and bhajans in rural areas. The government cannot make separate decisions for every function. The decision on loudspeakers has come from the Supreme Court and is applicable for the entire country. Therefore, the Centre should decide and form rules or policies applicable to all states.”
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of opposition, Devendra Fadnavis, and MNS chief Raj Thackeray were among those who skipped the all-party meeting which took place against the backdrop of BJP’s demand for ban on use of loudspeakers at the time of azaan and also after an ultimatum given by MNS for removal of loudspeakers from mosques by May 3. Walse-Patil said that the MNS leaders at the meeting did not say that they would stick to the ultimatum. However, after the meeting, MNS claimed there was no change in its ultimatum.
While sAaditya Thackeray said that a delegation of the state government will hold a meeting with the Centre to discuss the issue of loudspeakers, Ajit Pawar urged political parties to extend their cooperation to maintain law and order. Walse Patil said that the Maharashtra government, between 2015 and 17 released government resolutions (GRs) on the use of loudspeakers and the permission on their usage, including timings and decibel limits, based on which loudspeakers are allowed.
Fadnavis defended BJP’s decision to boycott the all-party meeting, saying, “We did not attend in the view of what has happened in the last few days. If someone has assumed the role of 'Hitler', we felt it was better to fight instead of a dialogue.’’ He said the CM should have chaired the meeting and questioned the home minister's role in it.
