Thane, April 12: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday batted for the Uniform Civil Code and stressed the need for controlling population growth. Speaking at a public rally here, he also reiterated his demand that loudspeakers on mosques be removed, giving an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to act before May 3.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi should implement the Uniform Civil Code in this country," Thackeray said, adding that a law should be brought in to curb population growth. If the Shiv Sena-led state government did not remove loudspeakers from mosques before May 3, MNS workers will play the Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosques, Thackeray threatened.

This was not a religious but a social issue as loudspeakers cause nuisance to everybody, he said. Replying to criticism that he used to lash out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but changed the tune after receiving an Enforcement Directorate notice, Thackeray denied that his political stand kept changing. Azaan Row: Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil Warns Netas Making Communal Statements, Says 'Police Monitoring Situation'.

If the BJP government took any wrong decision, he will not hesitate to criticize it again, he said. He also sought to know why the ED raided the family members of NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar but not Pawar's cousin Supriya Sule. The MNS chief also accused NCP chief Sharad Pawar of doing politics of caste.

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