Pune Police on Wednesday detained MNS General Secretary Ajay Shinde along with 6 others after they performed "Maha Aarti" in Khalkar Hanuman Temple. They were detained as per preventive action, said Pune Police officials.
Over 250 Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers have yet been detained for playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers, said Maharashtra Police.
Due to the aggressive stance taken by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) regarding the noise of loudspeakers on mosques, the atmosphere in the state including Mumbai is currently heating up. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday appealed people to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers in the areas where azan is heard blaring from loudspeakers on May 4.
Despite warnings of action from the state government and the police, Raj Thackeray had written a public letter ordering the activists to play Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosque. "I appeal to all Hindus that tomorrow, the 4th of May if you hear the loudspeakers blaring with azan; in those very places, play the Hanuman Chalisa on the Loudspeakers! That's when they will realize, the hindrance of these loudspeakers!" Thackeray appealed.