MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Mumbai north district working president Fahmida Hasan Khan has set off another furor by writing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting permission for chanting prayers of every religion in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in the national capital. In the letter dated April 23 she requested permission to read the Namaz, Hanuman Chalisa, Navkar Mantra, Guru Granth and Novena.

This comes after Amravati Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana, an MLA, on Saturday announced their plan to chant Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree, the private residence of the Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. However, the couple's plan backfired and they were arrested by the Mumbai police, following which a local court sent them to judicial custody for 14 days.

In a self-made video, the NCP leader took a dig at the Navneet Rana and stated that as an MP she should have talked about reducing inflation, unemployment, and other issues related to the welfare of the people. “If the religious agenda helps in the progress of the country and reduce inflation, unemployment, and starvation, I’d also like to take part in such activities,” she said.

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said there was no need to display religious sentiments in public. Speaking to reporters amid the chanting row, Pawar, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra, said it is a good thing that the state government decided to call an all-party meeting on Monday over the issue of loudspeakers at religious places, and he will be very happy if something good comes out of the meet. (With inputs from The Print)

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