Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray will not participate in the all-party meeting called by the state government to resolve the loudspeaker dispute, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande said on Monday.
Instead, Deshpande and MNS leaders Bala Nandgaonkar, and Nitin Sardesai will attend the meeting.
Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse on Sunday called an all-party meeting on Monday to discuss the law and order situation in the state amid the row over loudspeakers.
In the wake of the ongoing row in the state, Raj Thackeray had said that Muslims in the country should understand that "religion is not above law and country" while also asking them to take down loudspeakers from mosques.
"We don't want riots in Maharashtra. No one has opposed the offering of prayers. We want the loudspeakers that are put up in the mosques and are illegal in the entire country should be taken down. If you do it on loudspeaker, then we will also use loudspeakers for it. Muslims should understand that religion isn't bigger than the law. After May 3, I will see what to do," said Thackeray.
Amid his sharp comments, the Maharashtra home department decided to implement the earlier court orders on the use of loudspeakers at religious sites. The state government will now make it mandatory for religious sites to seek permission for using loudspeakers.
The row started after the MNS chief stoked a controversy by asking the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, while warning that if the demand isn't met his party members will use loudspeakers to play the Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques.
