Finally, the Maharashtra Government has decided to take the bull by the horn

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray’s bellicose dictat to remove loudspeakers from all mosques in the State by May 3 is yet another instance of politicians raking up the controversial issue to gain relevancy. By all accounts, Raj Thackeray had slipped into oblivion in the Maharashtra politics before he picked up the loudspeaker row to hog the limelight. It’s unlikely that any self-respecting Chief Minister would bow down before such threats, not in the least Uddhav Thackeray. Even the MNS chief would know that the Maha Vikas Agadhi Government would not follow his explicit command at any cost. Raising an aggressive pitch might be part of a well-calculated design. Raj Thackery would know that if he were to be arrested for seeking the removal of loudspeakers from masjids, he would emerge the champion of the ultra-right forces, and could even eye the hard-core Hindutva space vacated by Shiv Sena after it joined hands with NCP and Congress. 

The impressive turnout at his two back-to-back public meetings shows that Raj Thackeray’s calculation is paying off. It’s heartening to note that finally, the Maharashtra Government has decided to take the bull by the horn. The police have filed an FIR against him for delivering a provocative speech demanding the removal of loudspeakers from mosques. Maharashtra police chief Rajnish Seth has said the Aurangabad police commissioner will take appropriate legal action against Raj Thackeray. Incidentally, it was in Aurangabad where the MNS chief issued his “ remove loudspeaker” order as if he were the monarch of all he surveyed. Raj Thackeray also asked people to recite  Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques if loudspeakers were not removed. The MNS chief may be banking on the Supreme Court order and related guidelines to control noise pollution from such loudspeakers. But who has empowered the  MNS to enforce an SC order? If Raj Thackeray feels that the state government is deliberately not executing the apex court order, then he could move the court. After all, he has all the resources to hire top-notch lawyers to take up his case. It is time that the Supreme court itself suo motu takes up this controversial issue which is being used to fan communal sentiments across the country. India is a respected democracy. Anarchists should not be allowed to call the shots here.