Mumbai police issued a notice under section 149 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to MNS worker, Yashwant Killedar who planned a Maha aarti in Mumbai, suspecting the gathering of MNS leaders on Eid. This section is invoked by the police to prevent the commission of a cognizable offence. The notice warns the MNS leader, that he and his associates would be held responsible if the law and order situation is disturbed due to MNS’s attempt to target places for events.
Mentioning the sequence of events on April 2 and May 1 the notice clarified that the MNS ultimatum which states to accomplish ‘Mission Raj’ if loudspeakers won’t be removed from mosques, will create disturbance to the law and order situation. It added that there was a likelihood of an offence being committed. Moreover, the police contended that social harmony could be adversely impacted if MNS workers took law into their own hands.
Addressing a massive rally at Marathwada Sanskruti Mandal ground in Aurangabad on May 1, Raj Thackeray staunchly defended his statement over loudspeakers by calling it need of an hour. While maintaining that Marathas faced religious persecution in Aurangabad, he questioned the inaction of the Uddhav Thackeray led government. While acknowledging that the state had pressing issues such as shortage of water, power supply and unemployment, he opined that the issue of the loudspeakers was of utmost significance.
Meanwhile, maha aarti planned by MNS workers was called off by the party workers. As Raj Thackeray mentioned in his rally that he doesn’t want to affect any festival peace will be maintained. We are not against any religion but only demanding to fulfill the order of the Supreme Court, said Yashwant Killedar, MNS leader.
Furthermore, MNS leaders said that the MNS would initiate action against loudspeakers placed outside mosques by playing Hanuman Chalisa against that after May 3.
