Raj Thackeray has problems with loudspeakers because his brother is CM: Sanjay Raut

Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday took a jibe at MNS chief Raj Thackeray implying that he has a problem with loudspeakers at religious places because he is envious of his cousin Uddhav Thackeray for becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

The MNS chief has been pressuring the Shiv Sena-led MVA government to remove loudspeakers from mosques. He has appealed to his supporters to blare Hanuman Chalisa to counter azaan.

“There is politics over loudspeakers everywhere and some old clips of Balasaheb on his views about loudspeakers in mosques are being shared. Why was this issue never raised for 50 years when Vilasrao Deshmukh, Prithviraj Chavan and Devendra Fadnavis were CM?” Raut was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.

“He (MNS chief Raj Thackeray) never had any issue with loudspeakers during this period, but he has this issue now because his brother (Uddhav Thackeray) is the CM of Maharashtra,” he added.

Earlier this week, Thackeray had shared a speech by the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray in which he was passionately speaking against loudspeakers at mosques.

“We (Shiv Sena) will not stop until we are successful in preventing the people from offering namaz on roads when we form the government in Maharashtra. If someone has any complaint about the Hindu religion, then they can come to us, and we will solve the issue. Loudspeakers will be removed from the mosques,” Bal Thackeray said in the video posted by Raj Thackeray.

On April 12, Thackeray gave an ultimatum to the government till Wednesday that if loudspeakers were not removed from all mosques as per the Supreme Court order, his supporters will play Hanuman Chalisa near mosques. A case had been registered against him for the announcement.

Earlier this week, scores of MNS workers were detained when they tried to play Hanuman Chalisa to counter azaan.

On Wednesday, Thackeray said the campaign would continue until the government removes all loudspeakers from mosques.

“It’s not only about mosques, there are several temples where illegal loudspeakers are running. I have already made it clear that it’s (illegal loudspeakers) not a religious issue but a social issue…We want peace in the state. What actions you’re (police) taking on those 135 mosques that violated SC guidelines today. You (police) are only taking action against our workers,” he was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.