Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil said on Tuesday, 19 April, that there was no need to go to the Cabinet for issuing guidelines on the use of loudspeakers in public places in the state. He also said there is no time limit for issuing guidelines as talks with all the stakeholders need to be held first.
Patil had said on Monday that the use of loudspeakers at religious sites in the state would be allowed only with prior permission.
"There is no need to go to the Cabinet regarding this. Field level input will be taken, and the government will take action. There is no time limit (for issuing of guidelines) as talk with all stakeholders to be done," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Walse met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday to discuss the law and order situation in the state and the issue of loudspeakers. Commenting on the same, he said, "Talks about law and order happened."
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Director-General of Police (DGP) will hold a meeting via video conference with all the police commissioners, Inspector generals (IGs), and Superintendents (SPs) on Tuesday to discuss the issue of use of loudspeakers in public places.
MNS' Raj Thackeray to Hold Meeting With Party Top Leaders
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray will hold a meeting with the party's top leaders at his residence on Tuesday, ANI reported.
Thackeray had said on Sunday that if the Maharashtra government failed to remove loudspeakers atop mosques by 3 May, Hanuman Chalisa would be played at a higher volume outside mosques.
According to ANI, a strategy to remove loudspeakers atop mosques by 3 May will be prepared in today's meeting. MNS' party meeting in Aurangabad on 1 May and a visit to Ayodhya in June are also likely to be discussed.
Meanwhile, MNS workers would perform a 'Maha aarti' at their local temples across the state on 3 May, on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, said MNS leader Nitin Sardesai, adding that the 'aarti' would be performed using loudspeakers.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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