Mumbai: Elections to civic bodies are due in Mumbai, India's richest corporation called 'the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC'. It is usual now that without a communal element, or a pinch of propaganda with the aim of dividing society, it has become difficult to fight any election.
Triggering another controversy, though not new fresh in the present context, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray came out demanding a ban on loudspeakers playing the Azaan from mosques.
He also urged his workers to play Hanuman Chalisa from loudspeakers to pressure the state government to take a decision on its demand. MNS workers gathered at several temples responding to Raj Thackeray's call, playing Hanuman Chalisa from loudspeakers.
But it was not the end of the story. As the election time is there, the BJP also joined the MNS to reinforce the demand to ban Azan through loudspeakers. It is obvious that no immediate action is possible, but the right wing group here as well has taken out its 'tit-for-tat' strategy.
One of the billionaire BJP leaders has offered any amount of funds to install loudspeakers to play the Hanuman Chalisa in temples, as a means of realising the strategy.
"Anyone who needs a loudspeaker to install it in a temple can ask us for free! All Hindus should have one voice! Jai Shri Ram! Har Har Mahadev!" Mohit Kamboj, a billionaire bullion trader, tweeted.
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, where the controversy after controversy along communal lines is popping up every other day, reverberations of the MNS leader's call were heard. Karrnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the case of the use of loudspeaker in mosques is with the High Court and solution to this regard should be found taking the people into confidence.
Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa also demanded that there should be a solution for the concerns being raised over the use of loudspeakers in mosques in the state. But he also maintained that the restriction of loudspeakers shall not be confined to mosques.
Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil of the NCP has criticised the latest provocations, saying the statements are aimed at dividing society.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut too hit out at the BJP and MNS. "Raj Thackeray was talking about taking down the loudspeakers installed in mosques yesterday. First, see in which of all BJP-ruled states Azaan has been stopped, loudspeakers removed from mosques... This is Maharashtra, where law of the land is followed," he said on Sunday.