Mumbai: In sharp words, Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray attacked the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray after the latter threatened the state government of statewide protests if loudspeakers were not removed from outside of mosques by May 3.
"Instead of loudspeakers, one should use the same to speak about rising inflation. One should speak about petrol, diesel or CNG and should notice the recent 2-3 years, not the last 60 years", Aaditya Thackeray said here while speaking to reporters.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray had on April 2 made a strong pitch for removing high-decibel loudspeakers from mosques.
Addressing a rally at Shivaji Park, the MNS chief had also said that if such a step was not taken, loudspeakers would be installed outside mosques to play 'Hanuman Chalisa' at higher volume.
Speaking at a public rally in Thane on April 12, Thackeray reiterated the demand that loudspeakers on mosques be removed, giving an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to act before May 3.
Meanwhile, state secretary of MNS, Irfan Shaikh, on Thursday said he has quit the party in light of party president Raj Thackeray remaining firm on his pitch for removal of high-decibel loudspeakers from mosques.
In a letter to Thackeray, which he shared on Facebook, Shaikh said he was resigning with "a heavy heart".
In the letter, Shaikh said Thackeray became suspicious about azaan and mosques only after 16 years since he was working with the MNS chief.
(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)