India, June 26 -- With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) adopting a hardline stance regarding the removal of loudspeakers from mosques across the city, deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar on Wednesday held a meeting with leaders and representatives of the Muslim community and assured them of his support in the matter.

The meeting was organised as Muslim representatives sought Pawar's help after the Mumbai police issued a circular on May 11, directing all religious structures to remove loudspeakers installed in their premises. The circular also required religious structures interested in installing loudspeakers to submit applications to the police along with documents such as property cards, proof of...