Maharashtra to Delhi: The Hanuman Chalisa row in 10 points

New Delhi: Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Fahmida Hasan Khan has written a staggering letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking assent to recite Namaz as well as Hanuman Chalisa outside the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The move comes in reprisal for a similar demand by Amravati Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana, to perform Hanuman Chalisa in front of the resident of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

From the initial demands of MNS leader Raj Thackeray regarding the volume of loudspeakers in the mosques to the arrest of the MP-MLA Rana couple in the Hanuman Chalisa controversy, a lot has occurred over the ongoing month of April. Hence, here is a concise view on the matter in 10 points:

1. The loudspeaker controversy initially began when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray started with his demand of shutting down the loudspeakers in the mosques. If the demand was not met, Thackeray threatened that “there will be speakers outside mosques playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at higher volume”.

2. The matter was further sparked when several MNS workers were detained for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ in front of ruling Shiv Sena headquarters in the Dadar area in Mumbai. The MNS workers had placed a loudspeaker on top of a vehicle, with “Shree Ram Rath” (chariot of Lord Ram) written over it.

3. MNS leader Raj Thackeray gave an ‘ultimatum’ to the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques across the Maharashtra state by May 3. His demand was followed by the Rana couple who asked the Maharashtra CM to recite Hanuman Chalisa at his residence on Hanuman Jayanti “to rid Maharashtra of crises”.

4. The couple had later announced to read Hanuman Chalisa outside the residence of Uddhav Thackeray over the weekend.

5. However,  Navneet and Ravi Rana were arrested from their house in suburban Khar by the Mumbai police on Saturday, hours after they canceled their plans of reciting the Chalisa at Matoshree (Thackeray’s residence).

6. A police official said that the Ranas were booked under IPC section 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), and section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act (violation of prohibitory orders of police).

7. The Maharashtra state government is facing strong criticism by the opposition for the arrest of the Rana couple. BJP leader and former Maharashtra CM has called the state government actions on the matter “very childish”.

8. On Sunday, a Mumbai court rejected police’s demand for the custody of MP Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana, remanding the duo in 14-day judicial custody.

9. The couple has now approached the High Court, seeking cancellation of the FIRs against them. Naveneet Rana is currently lodged in Byculla Jail, while Ravi Rana is in Taloja Jail.

10. Meanwhile, amid the growing tension, BJP leaders have skipped the all party meet called by the Shiv Sena-led state government on Monday.