Hanuman Chalisa row: Heavy police deployment outside Maharashtra CM’s house

Shiv Sena leaders had dared the couple to come to Mumbai to chant Hanuman Chalisa, warning them that they would get a befitting reply from Shiv Sainiks.

While the couple arrived in Mumbai on Friday morning, a large number of Shiv Sainiks and senior Sena leaders such as party secretary and MP Vinayak Raut, MP Anil Desai and Yuva Sena secretary Varun Sardesai gathered outside the Matoshree residence.

Police deployment was also increased outside the chief minister’s official residence ‘Varsha’ and NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s residence ‘Silver Oak’ in Malabar Hill.

The issue of reciting Hanuman Chalisa has become a simmering issue in Maharashtra politics after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on April 2 gave an ultimatum to the government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3 and threatened to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques if this was not done.

Sena leaders have accused the BJP of hatching a conspiracy with the Ranas to defame the party and destabilize the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. “If they want to recite the Hanuman Chalisa, they should do so in their homes. But if they decide to do stunts, then we will give them a befitting reply. Such attempts are being made by BJP’s central leadership deliberately to defame the Shiv Sena and to destabilize the Maha Vikas Aghadi government,” Vinayak Raut said, addressing the media outside Matoshree.

“They are from the film world and are engaging in stunts. Sainiks are capable…Reciting Hanuman Chalisa or celebrating Ram Navami are matters of faith and religion. They are not issues of drama and stunts, but of late, the BJP has started stunts in the name of Hindutva,” Sena leader Sanjay Raut said in Nagpur.