Clash over Marathi Language: MNS Employees Physically Attack Mumbai Store Owner Due to Insulting WhatsApp Post
In a series of disturbing incidents, shopkeepers in Mumbai's Vikhroli and Mira Road areas have been physically assaulted by members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) over allegations of disrespect towards the Marathi language. The incidents, which occurred on Wednesday and were captured on video, have sparked widespread outrage among non-Marathi speakers and members of both the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT).
The assault in Vikhroli was reportedly triggered by a WhatsApp status posted by a shopkeeper, which some MNS workers found offensive. In Mira Road, the incident allegedly involved a perceived violation of a resolution mandating businesses to employ Marathi-speaking staff and conduct operations in Marathi. Both videos have since gone viral and have prompted widespread condemnation.
The shopkeeper in Mira Road, Baboolal Khimaji Choudhary, a resident of Bhayander (East), stated that all languages are spoken across the state in response to the alleged violation. No police complaint has been filed regarding the latest assault on the shopkeeper in Vikhroli.
These incidents come amidst heightened political and community sensitivity to language-related disrespect or perceived insults. Maharashtra maintains a regulatory and political environment where disrespecting the Marathi language or community can lead to legal enforcement, supported by government warnings and actions against offenders. Although the enforcement mechanism is guided by existing laws rather than any new or specific language-focused legislation, the state stresses the importance of Marathi as a cultural and linguistic identity marker and seeks its protection through legal and political means.
Maharashtra Minister Yogesh Kadam and Aaditya Thackeray, a prominent leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), have both emphasized the importance of respecting Marathi and Marathi identity. They have warned against disrespect and implied that enforcement of relevant laws would follow. The official position discourages taking the law into one's own hands, encouraging instead filing complaints with authorities so that action under the law can be properly taken.
In response to the incidents, MNS leader Avinash Jadhav defended the group's actions, stating that they do not intend to display their strength, but will respond if someone disrespects the Marathi language in Maharashtra. The video shows MNS workers, including party functionary Vishwajeet Dholam, confronting the shopkeeper and parading him through the locality.
As the incidents in Vikhroli and Mira Road highlight, the issue of language respect and the role of vigilantism in enforcing it remains a contentious one in Maharashtra. The state continues to grapple with finding a balance between upholding cultural and linguistic identity and ensuring the safety and rights of all its citizens.
- The disturbing incidents in Mumbai's Vikhroli and Mira Road areas, involving the physical assault of shopkeepers by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), have raised concerns about the role of vigilantism in enforcing respect for the Marathi language, a key cultural and linguistic identity marker in Maharashtra.
- The heightened political and community sensitivity towards language-related disrespect or perceived insults in Maharashtra has resulted in a regulatory and political environment where such actions can lead to legal enforcement, supported by government warnings and actions against offenders.
- The incidents have caused a stir in the general-news sphere, with debates over business ethics (allegations of violation of a resolution mandating Marathi-speaking staff and operations), health (physical assaults), sports (as a metaphor for the ongoing power struggle between political parties), and crime-and-justice (vigilantism and potential misuse of power), all while highlighting the importance of maintaining a balance between culture, language, and citizen rights in the state.
