Mumbai, April 28 Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray on Thursday warmly congratulated Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi for removing loudspeakers from all religious places in that state.
"I wholeheartedly congratulate and stand grateful to the Yogi Government for having removed loudspeakers, specially the masjids (mosques)," Raj said.
He said that unfortunately in Maharashtra, there are no such Yogis' (hermits), but only 'Bhogis' (hedonists).
Raj said he prayed at the feet of Goddess Jagdambadevi and expressed hope that good sense would prevail even in Maharashtra.
Earlier this month, the MNS chief had launched a campaign to yank off loudspeakers from all mosques in the state by May 3, or his activists would blare out Hanuman Chalisa at double volumes there.
As a huge political row raged, the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government firmly rejected his demand and lobbed the ball in the Centre's court, urging for a national policy on the use of loudspeakers at all such places.
The state has also made it clear to all religious places of worship to strictly adhere to the Supreme Court norms on decibel levels for using loudspeakers failing which they would face action.
Following the state's whiplash, several mosques and other religious places in the state have gradually started lowering the loudspeaker volumes as per the apex court norms.
The MVA government has also warned any persons against attempting to create a religious divide in the state that could result in a law-and-order situation akin to the ruckus by the MP-MLA couple, Navneet Kaur-Rana and her husband Ravi Rana, respectively, last Saturday.
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