Amid prevailing tensions over the loudspeaker row in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said there were no illegal loudspeakers in the state and that MNS chief Raj Thackeray was creating a 'nautanki' (drama) over the issue.
"There are no illegal loudspeakers in Maharashtra. There is complete peace in the state... it was a one-day nautanki, Raut said adding 'Raat gayi, baat gayi'.
Earlier today, Raj Thackeray shared a video of Bal Thackeray in which the latter can be heard speaking against the use of loudspeakers. In the video, shared by Raj Thackeray, Bal Thackeray is heard saying that the Shiv Sena will not rest until it is successful in preventing people from offering namaz on roads when it comes to power in the state.
Meanwhile, Raut also hit back at senior BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Amar Shankar Sable's recent remarks that Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was sitting in the lap of Congress and disrespecting Bal Thackeray.
"Bal Thackeray is revered for us, be it yesterday, today and in the future. The entire country knows the relationship between Balasaheb Thackeray and the BJP. So, there is no explanation needed to tell us about this. Uddhav Thackeray is sitting in the lap of Congress and disrespecting Balasaheb. Do not try to teach Hindutva to BJP. Hinduism is our way of life, it is not our political subject," Sable had said.
Responding to this, Raut told ANI: "Bal Thackeray and Veer Savarkar are the ones who taught Hindutva to the country. Shiv Sena's school of Hindutva is original."
Earlier on Sunday, Uddhav Thackeray said that the BJP had often cheated Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray in the past on the pretext of an alliance for Hindutva and added that he is not so "gullible" as his father.
The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief Raj Thackeray on April 12 gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.
( With inputs from ANI )
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