Raj Thackeray's Call, Bhopal's Terms, Drone-watch on Yatra: Mega Plans for Hanuman Jayanti Amid Loudspeaker Row

After multiple clashes and controversies reported around Ram Navami celebrations in the country, authorities are gearing up to ensure no similar incidents occur on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on Saturday. A number of political and social events are lined up for the day, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will is set to unveil a 108 feet statue of the lord at Morbi in Gujarat.

While Bhopal police has issued an advisory for Hanuman Jayanti, eyes are also on Raj Thackeray’s programme in Pune, after the MNS leader had recently raised an issue about azaan being played at high volume from loudspeakers atop mosques and had asked authorities to curb the practice.

Taking a look at authorities’ preparation and major events:

PM Modi to Unveil Statue

PM Modi wished the country on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on Saturday. “Many best wishes to all the countrymen on the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman, a symbol of strength, courage and restraint. By the grace of Pawanputra, may everyone’s life always be filled with strength, intelligence and knowledge,” he said in a tweet.

The statue to be unveiled by Modi is the second of four statues being set up in the four directions across the country as part of the four dham project linked to Hanuman. This statue, which falls in west, has been installed at the ‘ashram’ of Bapu Keshvanand in Morbi, the PMO had earlier said.

The first statue of the series was set up in the north in Shimla in 2010. Work on the statue at Rameswaram in south has been started, the PMO said.

Raj Thackeray’s Programme Amid Loudspeaker Controversy

Raj Thackeray had announced he will perform ‘maha aarti’ at the renowned Hanuman temple in Pune on Saturday. The temple is situated on Kumthekar Road and Thackeray had helped renovate it, local MNS leader Ajay Shinde claimed.

Meanwhile, the Pune unit of the NCP said it would hold an “all religion” Hanuman Jayanti and ‘Iftar’ event at a Hanuman temple in Karevnagar here. The announcement came after the leader had recently spoken about azaan being played at high volume from loudspeakers atop mosques and had asked authorities to curb the practice. Various leaders have condemned the raising of the issue.

Meanwhile, the Popular Front of India (PFI) has objected to MNS’s statements. A PFI leader threatened Raj Thackeray saying, ‘if you touch our loudspeakers, you will find us first in your way’. The leader was booked after his speech.

The row has further intensified as ANI reported that a poster which reads ‘Whom did you call Owaisi? Sanjay Raut shut down your loudspeaker, whole Maharashtra facing problem due to it or else we’ll shut down your loudspeaker in MNS style’ was seen outside the Saamana Office.

Raut had reportedly called Raj Thackeray ‘Maharashtra’s Owaisi’, referring to AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.

ABVP Wants ‘Hanuman Chalisa on Loudspeaker’, Officials Say No

After demands from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) office-bearers to broadcast Hanuman Chalisa with loudspeakers at intersections across the city, the administration is trying to prevent the matter from escalating through talks. Administrative officers will hold talks with the office bearers of ABVP, a report by Amar Ujala said.

ADM City Rakesh Kumar Patel responded to the clarion call of ABVP, saying ‘a new tradition will not be allowed to start in the city’, the report said. He said talks to dissuade the ABVP office bearers were being held.

Bhopal Police’s Advisory Ahead of Hanuman Jayanti, Drones to Keep Watch

In view of the violence that took place during the Shobha Yatra on the occasion of Ram Navami, Bhopal Police has issued an advisory for Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. The police said that the organizers will have to follow 16 conditions on Hanuman Jayanti

According to reports, police will monitor procession with drones to ensure a peaceful celebration. The Commissioner of Police, Makrand Deoskar, told ANI on Friday that, in addition to the drones, the police department has deployed a large police force to keep an eye on the procession.

Hanuman Chalisa on Loudspeaker from Terrace in Varanasi

A man claiming to be a BJP worker has started playing recitals of the Hanuman Chalisa through a loudspeaker on his terrace in Varanasi. The recitals are said to correspond with the azaan, or Muslim call to prayer, which is made five times per day, a report by the Print said.

Sudhir Singh, a resident of Saket Nagar Colony, which is near the Sankat Mochan temple and is part of PM Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency. According to his Facebook page, he is a member of the BJP and the president of the ‘Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mukti Andolan.’

Hyd Police’s Tight Security

Hyderabad police will make tight security arrangements for the procession to be taken out in the city to mark Hanuman Jayanthi on Saturday. Police have chalked out an elaborate security plan for the ensuing procession that draws hordes of devotees. Guidelines were given to all SHOs to be vigilant in law and order, security arrangements, and to coordinate with field level officers of other government departments.

City Police Commissioner C.V. Anand on Wednesday chaired the inter-department coordination meeting for the smooth conclusion of the procession. Senior officials from Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), R&B, Electricity, Fire Department, EMRI and police officials from Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerates attended the meeting.

Anand apprised other government departments on the need for putting up strong barricading, uninterrupted power supply, debris clearing and pruning tree branches along the procesion route. The Road Transport Corporation (RTC) department is tasked to depute mechanics and drivers. EMRI officials will station ambulances in the main procession route. Anand emphasised upon the attendees to depute senior officers to the joint command control centre on the day of the event.

Rajasthan Govt to Organise Sundarkand Path

Rajasthan government will organise Sunkarkand path on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on Saturday. The invites, on behalf of Shakuntala Rawat, state industries minister for industries, commerce and Devasthan, are being sent out.

It says that everybody is invited on the occasion of Hanuman Janmotsav and the Sundarkand path will be read on a musical note. As per the invite, the venue for the programme is Shri Ram temple situated at hawa mahal road from 8 a.m to 11 a.m.

Nath’s ‘Hindutva’ Card Ahead of Polls With Hanuman Celebrations

Eyes firmly set on the 2023 Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, the Congress is also leaving no stone unturned to connect with its ‘Hindutva’ side. Taking the idea forward, MPCC chief Kamal Nath will be in his hometown Chhindwara on Saturday to mark Hanuman Jayanti with a special puja and various religious events.

Nath has been an ardent devotee of Lord Hanuman and had built a 101-feet idol of his in Chhindwara years ago.

This year, the Congress had announced celebrations on Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti in advance. With Nath in attendance, special events will be organised at Simaria in Chhindwara at the Lord Hanuman statue. After performing puja at 9am, Nath will take part in the religious events in the evening.

Muslim Cong MLA Objects to Party’s Directive

A Bhopal based Congress MLA Arif Masood has raised objections over a circular issued by the party office asking the cadres to celebrate the upcoming ‘Ram Navami’ and ‘Hanuman Jayanti’ and to recite the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’. Masood, who is a prominent Muslim leader of the Congress in the city, said the party was setting a ‘wrong precedent’ by issuing such a circular.

Masood asked why such directives were not issued for the Congress workers to celebrate Ramadan and the festivals of other faiths. Masood said that he has no objection to celebrating Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti or any other religious festival, but the political party (Congress) which treats all religions equally should not issue a circular referring to one particular religion.

Talking to IANS, Masood said, “I have questioned the circular issued by Congress to its leaders. I have no objection to celebrating any festival, be it related to any religion. But, being a political party, Congress should not have issued such a circular. We take along all the religions.”

With inputs from IANS, PTI

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