Mumbai Apr 23 PTI Amid stiff resistance by the ruling Shiv Sena independent MLA Ravi Rana and his wife MP Navneet Rana on Saturday gave up their plan of reciting Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minster Uddhav Thackerays residence here citing that they do no want to disturb the law and order situation in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the city for an event The Ranas announced the decision while speaking to reporters here in the afternoon at their residence in suburban Khar outside which a large number of Shiv Sena workers were camping since morning taking an aggressive stand that if the politician couple tries to go ahead with their plan they would be taught a lesson The Rana couple had on Friday said that they were firm on their plan to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree the personal residence of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in suburban Bandra at 9 am on Saturday In the morning Shiv Sena workers broke through the barricades and tried to enter the premises of their Khar residence But the situation was brought under control by the police who later asked the couple not to step out of their house as the situation may escalate due to the presence of a large number of Sena activists Addressing the press conference Ravi Rana who is an independent MLA from Badnera in Amravati district said Leader of Opposition and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to me and told me about Prime Minister Narendra Modi being honoured Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar award on Sunday Therefore in order to avoid any untoward incident a day before the programme today we decided to withdraw our decision to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside the residence of CM Uddhav Thackeray As a CM Fadnavis has brought huge development to Maharashtra whereas Uddhav Thackeray has not done anything in the last two and half years of his tenure If there is an iota of late Balasaheb Thackerays thoughts left in Uddhav Thackeray he should not distance himself from the Hindutva ideology he added PM Modi is scheduled to visit Mumbai on Sunday to accept the award he said adding that they did not want to create any situation that may would affect that event On Friday Mumbai police had served a notice to the couple asking them not to disturb the law and order situation in the city Rana had earlier told reporters here that he had demanded the chief minister read Hanuman Chalisa on Hanuman Jayanti to rid Maharashtra of crises and attain peace for the state but Thackeray had refused to do so Rana had supported the BJP-Sena government during 2014-19 His demand followed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackerays ultimatum to the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3 He had threatened to play Hanuman Chalisa outside the mosques if the demand was not met The BJP supported Rajs demand PTI ND NP NP

Mumbai Apr 20 PTI Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Wednesday said he will hold a meeting with the key leaders of all political parties and some organisations in the state before a final decision is taken over with the use of loudspeakers He made the comments against the backdrop of a strong pitch made by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS and the opposition BJP over removing high-decibel loudspeakers installed on mosques Interacting with media persons here Walse Patil also said that loudspeakers can be installed only after seeking permission from the police as per law He said states Director General of Police DGP Rajnish Seth held a meeting with the top officials on the issue of loudspeakers on Tuesday and submitted a report in this regard to him on Wednesday He Seth has submitted a report to me on what situation may arise in the state over the next some days and steps to be taken in that regard the minister added Walse Patil without naming anyone reiterated that attempts are being made to disturb law and order in the state and added that the government has taken a serious view of the same He requested everyone to desist from taking law into their hands escalating conflicts and dividing communities Strict action will be taken if anyone does this and peace will be established he added Walse Patil said that the Supreme Court had passed a judgement on noise pollution in 2005 and added the state government had issued some government resolutions GR in that regard in 2015 and 2017 Instruction will be issued to authorities concerned to implement the same But before taking a final decision in this regard I will hold a meeting with leaders of key parties in the state to discuss the issue I will hold discussions with some organisations as well After that a final decision will be made he added To a question Walse Patil said MNS chief Raj Thackeray who had made a strong pitch for removing loudspeakers from mosques earlier this month will also be invited for the meeting Walse Patil however did not specify the date when the meeting will be held The minister also said he will welcome if people follow the Supreme Court order on noise pollution on their own To another question Walse Patil said Aurangabad police commissioner has received letters seeking to disallow Thackerays planned rally in Aurangabad city and added that cops will take a call in this regard assessing the local situation Walse Patil also said that there is no reason for the government to oppose if anyone installs CCTVs at temples or any other place of prayers voluntarily from a security point of view He was replying to a question on the MNS reportedly demanding installation of CCTVs in mosques Asked whether loudspeakers installed without permissions on temples or mosques will be removed Walse Patil said that it is not the governments responsibility to install or remove loudspeakers One who wishes to install a loudspeaker should do so as per law seeking police permission Loudspeakers cannot be installed if there is no police permission Those who install loudspeakers they will have to follow the SC order and governments GRs he added Replying to a query the minister said the government has inputs about pockets in the state where the situation may be tense and added that the police have been asked to be fully prepared to face such situations Walse Patil said there is no need to give importance to Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Ranas talk of reading Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackerays official residence Varsha here Raj Thackeray has earlier asked the MVA government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3 citing noise pollution and threatened to play Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques in a higher volume if his demand was not met The BJP has supported Raj Thackerays demand PTI ENM NP NP

Mumbai Apr 19 PTI As many as 72 per cent of mosques in Mumbai have stopped using loudspeaker for broadcasting the morning Azaan or prayer police sources said on TuesdayThe development comes amid MNS chief Raj Thackerays demand that loudspeakers on mosques in Maharashtra be removed by May 3 and the resultant political controversyThe first Azaan of the day is offered at 5 amWhile 72 per cent of mosques have stopped using loudspeakers for morning prayer many others have reduced the volume of loudspeakers claimed a police officialPolice recently held a meeting of religious leaders aiming to maintain the law and order situation in the city after the row over loudspeakers broke out he saidPolice asked them to seek permissions for loudspeakers and follow the Supreme Court guidelines to avoid noise pollution the police official addedPolice will take strict action against those who violate the law he said PTI DC KRK KRK

Aurangabad Apr 19 PTI The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi VBA on Tuesday presented a memorandum to the police stating that permission should not be given for Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS chief Raj Thackerays rally in Aurangabad district as it may pose a law and order situation A delegation led by VBA spokesperson Amit Bhuigal and city president Ahmed Jalis reached out to police commissioner Nikhil Gupta with the demand Raj Thackeray had earlier announced a rally in Aurangabad on May 1 which is observed as Maharashtra Day The holy month of Ramzan is being observed and a law and order situation may arise the VBA in the memorandum said urging the police not to give permission to the MNS rally The Maharashtra Director General of Police on Tuesday instructed all police units in the state to strictly enforce the law and Supreme Courts guidelines on the use of loudspeakers in the wake of MNS chief Raj Thackerays demand that loudspeakers on mosques be removed by May 3 PTI AW ARU ARU

Nagpur Apr 19 PTI Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday said the RPI-A headed by him doesnt support MNS chief Raj Thackerays demand for the removal of loudspeakers from mosques Speaking to media persons Athawale whose party is a constituent of the NDA also claimed that even the BJP does not support Raj Thackerays stand on the issue If they MNS want to use loudspeakers they can do so but we oppose the demand to remove loudspeakers from mosques Even Balasaheb Thackeray Shiv Sena founder was opposed to such demand I feel a rift should not be created between religions he said The MNS chief had earlier spoken against mosques using loudspeakers to relay prayers and had asked the state government to get them removed by May 3 failing which his party would play Hanuman Chalisa at a higher volume outside mosques Athawale said BJP is not supporting such a call to ban loudspeakers atop mosques The BJP has never taken such a stand Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas and there is no possibility of the BJP taking such a position This is Raj Thackerays agenda he said PTI CLS NSK NSK

Mumbai Oct 18 PTI Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Pravin Darekar on Monday alleged that Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA governments only agenda is to divert the attention of the people from basic issues by raising new disputes every day Addressing a press conference here Darekar said that no leader from the MVA- which includes Shiv Sena NCP and Congress- is ready to talk on the work done by the state government for the development of Maharashtra in the last two years Darekars statement came hours after Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana slammed the BJP against the misuse of Central agencies to target leaders of the MVA The editorial in Saamana said the BJP uses the CBI Enforcement Directorate I-T Income Tax department and the NCB Narcotics Control Bureau for its agenda Thackeray exposed these attacks being made through the ED and CBIthe attacks are like using Shikhandi as a shield it said On Saamana claiming that BJP was smoking a low-quality weed Darekar said the level of criticism has crossed limits while targetting BJP leaders People in Maharashtra know it well who takes the side of those consuming drugs and weed he said Queried on NCP chief Sharad Pawar targetting the Centre over its approach towards non-BJP states Darekar said it will be a welcome move if Pawar and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray take a stand on development issues concerning Maharashtra PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah are capable of making decisions about the Central government he said When asked about Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Rauts comments on the abrogation of article 370 Darekar shot back saying does Raut consider the scrapping of the article a mistake You should not worry about the security of Jammu and Kashmir Home Minister Amitbhai Amit Shah is capable of taking care of it said Darekar In a dig Darekar said it will be in the interest of Shiv Sena if it tries to understand what is going on in the minds of Shiv Sainiks as there is unrest among Sena leaders MPs and MLAs The current Shiv Sena is dominated by outsiders I challenge Shiv Sena to count the number of outsiders in both the parties Sena and BJP he said To a query on Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackerays concept of Hindu Rashtra Darekar said the BJP was not aware of it PTI KK NSK NSK NSK