Maha tense as Raj Thakrey’s deadline for silencing loudspeakers ends

Mumbai, May 4: The police and State Government in Maharashtra were on tenterhooks on Wednesday as the deadline for removing loudspeakers from mosques across the state, set by Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sen, ended.

A case has been registered against Raj Thackeray by City Chowk police under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 116 (abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment-if offence be not committed) and 117 (abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than 10 persons) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act.

Around seven thousand police personnel were deployed in Mumbai megapolis and other sensitive places to ward off any possibilities of law and order problems following the adamant posture of the MNS leader over the blaring of loudspeakers from mosques beyond the limit prescribed by the Supreme Court of India.

The leave of all police personnel has been cancelled and 30,000 Home Guard personnel kept on standby even as the DGP personally toured different areas to ensure maintenance of law and order.

The MNS chief has dared the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government in the State led by his cousin Uddhav Thackeray to remove the loud speakers in mosques, which he alleged played beyond the apex court prescribed limit during ‘Aazan’ (Prayer calls).

Even as the deadline approached, Maharashtra Police Tuesday evening filed an FIR against Raj Thackery over a case of 2008 and DGP Rajnish Seth was huddled with Home Minister Dillip Walse Patil to review the situation arising out of the threat of the MNS.

The police have filed cases against over 1000 MNS leaders and activists and served notices on several others.

AJAYA KUMAR MISHRA