Ahead of Akshaya Tritiya tomorrow, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Monday conveyed a message to his party workers, asking them to not perform aarti, and not to do anything that could cause obstacles to Eid celebrations, to be performed by the Muslim community.
The MNS chief, taking to Twitter, wrote in Marathi: “Tomorrow is Eid. Yesterday in Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) I spoke about it. This festival of Muslim community should be celebrated happily. So tomorrow on Akshay Tritiya you should not do Aarti anywhere.”
Raj Thackeray had earlier ordered his workers and leaders to worship in temples on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.
However, speaking on the issue of loudspeakers, Thackeray said: “The loudspeaker issue is not religious but a social issue. I will inform you about what needs to be done next, tomorrow.”
Earlier on Sunday, during his Aurangabad rally, Raj Thackeray warned the State Goverment over removal of loudspeakers. He said that if from May 4 onwards, loudspeakers are not removed, “we won’t keep quiet”. He further added that “if you make it a religious issue then will answer with religion”.
“What happens after that in Maharashtra, I don’t know. I want to tell the cops here (to) go out and start removing these loudspeakers right now,” he said.
“To the cops of Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), we will show you strength. Stop these acts by them (Muslims). Remove all loudspeakers even from temples and other religious places, but first remove (from) theirs (mosques),” said the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief at a mega rally in Aurangabad.
Giving example of Uttar Pradesh, he said, “If Uttar Pradesh could do it, then why not Maharashtra?” asked Thackeray. He also clarified that the issue hasn’t been raised now, but has been debated in the past too. “I was asked by a reporter why I suddenly demanded the removal of loudspeakers. I said, ‘suddenly’? No. This has been raised before too.”
He maintained his stance of issue being a social one and not religious one.
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