Hanuman Chalisa row LIVE: Raj Thackeray tones down, says 'Not only about mosques, but illegal loudspeakers'

BJP is behind the loudspeaker row in Maharashtra. They're using Raj Thackeray to create fissures among Hindus in the state. It's just not about loudspeakers in mosques, in Maharashtra, 'Aartis' are being conducted early morning & people often hear them through loudspeakers as not all of them can enter temple premises, but that can't happen today, which's unfortunate. SC decision is the same for all. Now our temples also have to bear the brunt of it. It's a black day for us Hindus that people couldn't hear Aartis because of BJP's politics in cahoots with Raj Thackeray: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

Responding to Raj Thackeray sharing a video of late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, Sanjay Raut said, "We have not stooped that low. We still run on his principles. Balasaheb had taken a stand on loudspeakers and offering of namaz on road. He stopped it after coming to power."

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has said that there was no violation of loudspeaker guidelines in Maharashtra and said no one should teach Hindutva to his party. Without taking names of the BJP and MNS, Raut told reporters that people do not take cognisance of people who, with the support of pseudo Hindutvawadis, conspire against the Shiv Sena.

We will continue playing Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques at the time of Azaan until all illegal loudspeakers will be removed. I have to see what Supreme Court is doing if govt is not following its order: MNS chief Raj Thackeray

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has called a meeting of NCP ministers and leaders today evening. Earlier today, he met MVA ministers in the midst of a controversy over Raj Thackeray's demand to remove loudspeakers from mosques. 

Heavy police security was deployed in Mumbai in the wake of Raj Thackeray's call for 'silencing' loudspeakers atop mosques. Police deployment outside Thackeray's residence 'Shivtirth' in the Shivaji Park area was also enhanced and barricades were placed on the road for smooth traffic movement. 

Mumbai police on Wednesday detained a number of MNS workers gathered outside party chief Raj Thackeray's residence in Shivaji Park area, a day after the latter urged people to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers wherever they hear loudspeakers blaring 'azaan', officials said. However, MNS functionaries Sandeep Deshpande and Santosh Dhuri managed to quickly leave from the spot in a vehicle when a police team tried to catch them. 

My point is that all illegal loudspeakers should be removed from mosques, until they are removed we will continue our agitations, MNS chief Raj Thackeray added.

We want peace in the state. What actions you're ( police) taking on those 135 mosques that violated SC guidelines today. You (police) are only taking action against our workers: MNS chief Raj Thackeray

MNS chief Raj Thackeray said that every state government should work towards removing loudspeakers. "We have to be aggressive towards our religion," he said.

It's not only about mosques, there are several temples where illegal loudspeakers are running. I have already made it clear that it's (illegal loudspeakers) not a religious issue but a social issue: MNS chief Raj Thackeray

Police detains Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Secretary Ajay Shinde along with six others after they perform Maha Aarti in Khalkar Hanuman Mandir in Pune. Pune Police detained MNS Gen Sec Ajay Shinde along with 6 others after they performed "Maha Aarti" in Khalkar Hanuman Temple. They were detained as per preventive action: Pune Police officials

Situation is under control. Many Mosques did not play morning Azaan on loudspeaker voluntarily, following SC guidelines. 2500 security personnel were deployed across the city to maintain law & order: Police Commissioner Pune Amitabh Gupta

In Mumbai there are a total of 1,140 Mosques of whom as many as 135 used loudspeakers before 6 am today. Appropriate action should be taken against these 135 mosques that went against the orders of the Supreme Court of India: Maharashtra Home Department

Sharad Pawar meets MVA Ministers in Mumbai. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat are also present at the meeting which is underway at the Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai.

Over 250 Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers have yet been detained for playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers: Maharashtra Police

Sandeep Pachange, Thane district unit president of Maharashtra Navanirman Vidyarti Sena, taken into custody. Besides, five others were also detained by police.

Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil will address a press conference at his residence at 1 PM. 

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday said it is not participating in the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) event to play 'Hanuman Chalisa' on loudspeakers outside the mosques in Maharashtra on May 3. VHP is 'apolitical' organisation and never participated in any event of political parties in its history, said spokesperson Vinod Bansal.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar will meet the MVA Ministers today. He will meet the ministers at the Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai the afternoon. Pawar is likely to discuss the situation arising out of Raj Thackeray's call to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques. 

MNS leader Yogesh Shetty was detained by police in Mumbai. Besides, several MNS workers were also taken into custody by police in the Ambernath area of Mumbai for trying to disturb the peace. MNS leader Shailesh Shirke and Prashant Nalawade have also been taken into police custody. They were attempting to fix loudspeakers outside mosques. 

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has attacked Raj Thackeray for sharing an old video of Bal Thackeray wherein he could be heard warning against the use of loudspeakers and saying that the offering of namaz "will stop on roads" once his "government comes into power in Maharashtra".

There is peace in Maharashtra and no protest is happening in the state. No illegal loudspeakers running in the state... Bal Thackeray & Veer Savarkar are the ones who taught Hindutva to the country. Shiv Sena's school of Hindutva is original: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

MNS has said that its workers will perform aarti at Siddhivinayak Temple in Khed Taluka of Ratnagiri District today at 7 PM. 

BJP leader Ram Kadam has alleged that the Shiv Sena has compromised with the ideology and legacy of the late Balasaheb. "They are blinded by power and abandoned Hindutva," he wrote while retweeting Raj Thackeray's tweet carrying Balasaheb's speech on loudspeakers. 

Most mosques in Kalyan and Mumbai kept loudspeakers off during morning azaan today. MNS chief Raj Thackeray has been insisting on removing loudspeakers from mosques and had set May 4 as the dealine.

BJP leader Nitesh Narayan Rane said that loudspeakers are not the real problem. The real problem is terrorist organizations like Raza academy and PFI who spread poison.. a collective fight against them is the need of the hour. Everyone should come together to ensure they are banned. "Then there will be PEACE!

Loudspeakers toned down at mosques in Maharashtra's Aurangabad as Raj Thackeray's deadline to remove loudspeakers from mosques ends today. At the Hari Masjid, the volume at Azan was toned down. 

The police have detained five people for playing the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeaker during morning azaan today. The arrests were made from Washim 

A 'maha aarti' will be performed at 11 am today at Pune's Khalkar Maruti Mandir. The aarti will be performed by MNS workers. 

This is the same temple where Raj Thackeray had performed Hanuman aarti some days back.

Mumbai: Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray has informed that the former held a meeting with Bala Nandgaonkar and Nitin Sardesai over the Hanuman Chalisa controversy. The meeting lasted for nearly two hours, he said.