Why didn't mosque loudspeakers trouble Raj earlier?: Jaleel

Aurangabad, Jan 24 (PTI) A day after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray questioned the use of loudspeakers in mosques, AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel on Friday hit out at him and sought to know why he did not feel troubled by these loudspeakers all these years.

He also said that people look at Raj Thackeray merely as "entertainment". The MNS chief on Thursday unveiled his party's new flag, which is completely saffron and bears Chhatrapati Shivaji's 'rajmudra' (royal seal). Adopting an aggressive Hindutva stance during his speech, Thackeray questioned the use of loudspeakers in mosques.

"Why didn't Raj Thackeray notice these loudspeakers in the last four decades. If he wants to remove the loudspeakers, he should go to court or approach the government," Jaleel said.

"Raj Thackeray has been active in politics since a long time. Then why do the mosque loudspeakers trouble him now?," the MIM MP from Aurangabad asked.

"He (Thackeray) was earlier speaking against Narendra Modi-led government. During his campaign speeches (during the Lok Sabha polls last year) his 'Lav re toh video' (play that video) dialogue became famous. So what exactly happened in three-four months that led to a drastic change in Raj Thackeray's policy?"

During his speech, Thackeray, who had run a vigorous campaign against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Lok Sabha polls, defended the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC). He also announced that the MNS would take out a protest march on February 9 seeking eviction of illegal migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh.

"People look at him just as entertainment. Although his rallies draw a huge crowd, everyone has seen how it failed to convert into votes. Shiv Sena has now became secular, so the MNS thinks that it will grab the Hindutva agenda. But people are clever now," the state unit chief of AIMIM said. Jaleel also said that AIMIM was not afraid of anyone or any party, but would not lodge any complaint against Thackeray over his remarks. PTI AW

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