Newly appointed MNS chief Sainath Babar. (Facebook @sainathbabaroffical) A tough task lies ahead for Sainath Babar who has been appointed as the Pune unit chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) at a time the party has been facing criticism over a call by its head Raj Thackeray to play the Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosques if the government did not remove loudspeakers from such buildings. Ahead of the civic polls, Babar plans to reach out and explain the stand of the MNS to the Muslim community.
Elected to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in 2017, Babar has been with the MNS for a long time and was appointed as the party’s leader in the civic body last year after his senior and three-time corporator Vasant More was made the chief of the MNS Pune unit. Now, Babar’s elevation to the same post comes after the party decided to remove More in the wake of his public refusal to endorse Thackeray’s call against the use of loudspeakers in mosques.
What are your thoughts on taking over the responsibility held by Vasant More?
I am very happy to lead the city unit of the MNS, but also sad that my friend More is not the city unit chief now. He led from the front, but his tenure was only for 11 months. Now, I have been appointed as the chief and would follow the directions of the MNS for the party’s growth in the city.
Did you expect to get the post of city unit chief?
MNS chief Raj Thackeray had called me to Mumbai and ordered me to take over the responsibility of the city unit. I have to accept his orders.
On Saturday, Raj Thackery asked party workers to play the Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosques if the government failed to act against loudspeakers at such buildings. How will you implement it in Pune?
I have just taken over the responsibility. I will discuss it with other party leaders and the core committee of the party to ensure implementation of the call given by the MNS chief. However, the MNS chief will address the public again on Saturday on the future stand of the party on the issue. There is nothing beyond his orders.
You represented a PMC ward with a considerable Muslim population. Now rival parties have decided to hold a stir against the MNS stand.
Rivals are merely doing politics. The MNS chief had mentioned this stand (on the use of loudspeakers at mosques) several times in the past – in 2017, 2018, 2020 and now. I have learnt that the NCP is doing politics on it.
The party’s move has led to resignations by Muslim community members. How will you handle this?
We will explain the stand taken by the MNS chief to the citizens and convince them why it is appropriate. Many countries have banned speakers in mosques and some countries have put restrictions on the sound level of speakers in mosques. We will reach out to the Muslim community and explain the party’s stand to them.
More had decided not to implement Thackeray’s call to play the Hanuman Chalisa. What will you do?
The court has given orders in the past on the use of loudspeakers at mosques. We want the state government to implement it or the party workers would step in for its implementation. MNS activists would respond as per the call of the party chief.
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