He was speaking after a function to distribute of the five millionth batch of `Shanvac B', an indigenous vaccine for hepatitis B, prepared by Shanta Biotechnics.

He said if garba and dandiya raas ceremonies were forced to close at 11 pm to ensure well-being of patients and elderly persons, the 9 am call of the muezzin at 5 am was automatically subject to the same conditions.

Pointing to the rationale behind a judgment of the Calcutta High Court ordering removal ban of loudspeakers, he said the May 15 deadline served by the Bajrang Dal to launch an agitation on the issue was justified.

However, Thackeray said the Sena would not join hands with the Bajrang Dal.

Commenting about a reported Election Commission move to conduct assembly elections in Maharashtra before the alliance'sterm expires, Thackeray said that the State Government must be allowed to complete its tenure.

When asked about a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau against Social Welfare Minister Baban Gholap, he said Rane would decide if Gholap had to be sacked.

Meanwhile, Rane said that `filing a case cannot be criteria for sacking the minister' and added that action, if any, would be decided upon after a court verdict.