Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil with Aaditya Thackeray.
Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil on Monday said an all-party meeting will meet the Centre to discuss the issue of loudspeakers. The statement has come after an all-party meeting at the state level was held today in which it was decided that Maharashtra will not make new policy on the use of loudspeakers.
Speaking on the recent row over independent MP and MLA couple Navneet Rana, Ravi Rana's plan to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's residence, State Home Minister said, "it's govt's responsibility to maintain law & order. Police will take action if somebody violates it."
"If Centre makes a national-level rule over loudspeakers, issues won't come up in states. It was decided that an all-party delegation will meet Centre & discuss this," he added.
Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray also said, "It was decided in the meeting that a delegation will meet the Central Government and hold discussions over a solution to this issue (loudspeaker row in the state)."
Talking to reporters, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis also slammed the MVA government for filing cases against Independent MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana, who were booked on charges of sedition, promoting enmity, and deterring public servant from discharge of his duty amid the Hanuman Chalisa recital row.
“If reciting Hanuman Chalisa in Maharashtra attracts sedition then every one of us here is ready to commit that crime. But the way the government is behaving is shameful for the state. Should Hanuman Chalisa be recited in Maharashtra or Pakistan?” the former chief minister asked.
“Whatever is happening in Mumbai is at the behest of the chief minister," Fadnavis claimed.
“If you want to use the ways of Hitler, we will prefer struggle over dialogue. This has become our mindset, so we have decided to boycott the meeting.
If our leaders and activists are being attacked in front of people, and even then we have to struggle to file an FIR, then what is the use of attending such meetings,” the BJP leader said.
After attending the all-party meeting, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil said there is no provision for the state government to either install or remove loudspeakers.
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