NCP celebrates Hanuman Jayanti and Iftaar, MNS recites Hanuman Chalisa with Thackeray taking part

MNS leaders recited Hanuman Chalisa and held a maha aarti at the city temple, with Thackeray in attendance.

The NCP celebrated Hanuman Jayanti and held an Iftaar event. The maha aarti was conducted by Pawar at a temple in Karve Nagar, and it was attended by state NCP chief Jayant Patil and MP Supriya Sule.

City NCP chief Prashant Jagtap recited the Hanuman Chalisa while Muslim leaders of the party read from the Quran.
“Citizens of the country belonging to different religions, castes and regions have been living in harmony in the country with diverse culture. All celebrate the festivals together and everyone follows their religious rituals with devotion. There is nothing wrong in each one feeling proud of their religion but it is not our culture to have hatred about other religion,” said Pawar.

He said, “The situation in the country has been going in the wrong direction for the last few years. Religious and regional harmony has come under threat and it is not a matter of pride for us.”

“The hatred that begun in northern states is being tried by a few in Maharashtra in the last few days. It is the responsibility of each citizen now to ensure harmony in the country and the NCP’s initiative is a step towards ensuring harmony among members of different communities,” Pawar said.

On April 2, the MNS chief had urged the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which he warned that his party leaders would place loudspeakers in front of mosques and play the Hanuman Chalisa. He also accused the NCP of indulging in caste-based politics. The statement created controversy with Muslim community members of MNS quitting the party over it.

Thackeray later defended the MNS stand, saying it was not a communal topic but a social one.