Daijiworld Media Network - Thane
Thane, Jul 8: Tensions flared in Mira Road on Tuesday morning as several Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were detained by police while attempting to hold a counter-protest over the recent 'slapgate' incident involving a food stall owner assaulted for not speaking Marathi.
The dramatic scenes saw MNS activists marching through the streets before being bundled into police vans. The protest had not been granted permission, officials said. Many MNS members questioned why traders protesting the assault were allowed to demonstrate, while their own rally was blocked.
"Those living in Maharashtra must learn Marathi," some of the detained workers shouted, warning of "consequences" for those who don't.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis denied allegations of bias. "In Maharashtra, everyone has the right to protest with police permission. In this case, police had only asked for a route change due to traffic concerns. The MNS refused, so the rally was halted," he clarified. Taking a veiled dig at Raj Thackeray, Fadnavis said, “A Marathi has a large heart. These political experiments won’t work here.”
The row erupted after a viral video showed seven MNS workers slapping and threatening 48-year-old Babulal Chaudhary, owner of 'Jodhpur Sweet Shop', and his staff for speaking in Hindi. The incident sparked a fresh language debate, reigniting tensions around regional identity and linguistic pride.
This comes amid shifting political dynamics in Maharashtra. MNS chief Raj Thackeray and his cousin Uddhav Thackeray have recently mended ties, presenting a united front against the BJP. The ‘slapgate’ episode follows controversy over the now-scrapped move to introduce Hindi in primary schools.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey lashed out at the Thackerays, challenging them to step outside Maharashtra. “If you’re so bold, try this in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh. You’ll be thrashed,” he warned.
Uddhav Thackeray responded, accusing the BJP of exploiting language to divide people. “We’re not against any language, but we will oppose any forced imposition. BJP’s politics of division is outdated,” he said.