MNS office-bearer from Pune resigns over Raj Thackeray's 'loudspeaker' statement
Pune(PTI): One more office-bearer of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's Pune unit has resigned over party chief Raj Thackeray's remarks on shutting down loudspeakers on mosques.
With the resignation of Maharashtra Navnirman Vahtuk Sena's vice president Shaibaz Punjabi on Tuesday, the number of Muslim members who have quit the MNS over the last two days reached two.
"I am with the MNS since its inception, but I resigned from the party on Tuesday over the statement made by Raj Thackeray about countering 'azaan' (call for Muslim prayer) from loudspeakers atop mosques with 'Hanuman Chalisa'," said Punjabi.
He said he cannot face people if he continues to remain in MNS.
"Many people from the Muslim community live in my area with whom I enjoy cordial relations," Punjabi said, adding that Raj Thackeray's statements on loudspeakers and madrasas (seminaries) are incorrect.
On Monday, Majeed Shaikh, a shakha president of MNS in Pune, resigned against "communalism" in the MNS.
Addressing a rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Saturday, Raj Thackeray had said," Why loudspeakers in mosques are played at such high volume? If this is not stopped, there will be speakers outside mosques playing Hanuman Chalisa at higher volume".
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
234 held in anti-drug operation in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 15 (PTI): The Kerala police on Saturday said as part of its special drive to crack down on individuals suspected of drug trafficking, 234 people were arrested, and varying quantities of several deadly narcotics, including MDMA, were seized.
The State Police Media Centre (SPMC) stated that on March 14, as part of the drive, D-Hunt, authorities inspected 2,362 individuals suspected of drug trafficking and arrested 234 of them.
The operation was carried out across the state to identify and take strict legal action against those involved in the storage and distribution of banned drugs.
Police registered 222 cases related to the possession of various prohibited substances, according to a statement issued by the SPMC.
Additionally, authorities seized 0.0119 kg of MDMA, 6.171 kg of cannabis, and 167 cannabis 'beedis' from those arrested.
Operation D-Hunt is being jointly implemented by the Range-based NDPS Coordination Cell and District Police Chiefs under the leadership of State Anti-Narcotics Task Force Head and ADGP (Law and Order) Manoj Abraham, following the instructions of State Police Chief Dr Sheikh Darvesh Sahib, the statement said.
The SPMC also announced that a 24-hour Anti-Narcotics Control Room (9497927797) has been set up to receive information from the public regarding drug-related activities.
The details of individuals who contact this number will be kept confidential, it added.
Furthermore, the operation will continue in the coming days through sustained surveillance and the creation of a database of individuals regularly involved in drug-related activities and transactions.
