Hundreds of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were detained by police in Mumbai’s Mira Road area on Tuesday morning as they attempted to stage a protest rally amid an escalating controversy over the Marathi language. The demonstration, organised to counter a traders’ protest, stems from a recent incident where MNS activists assaulted a shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi, an event captured on video that went viral and later has fuelled widespread outrage across the country.
The conflict traces back to June 29, when 48-year-old Babulal Khimji Chaudhary, owner of Jodhpur Sweets and Namkeen in Mira Road, was slapped and threatened by MNS workers after responding in Hindi during a confrontation over language use. The viral video showed MNS members, some wearing party scarves, demanding Chaudhary speak Marathi, asserting that it is the primary language of Maharashtra. When Chaudhary stated that “all languages are spoken in Maharashtra,” he was assaulted, prompting condemnation from local traders and residents.
In response to the assault, traders in Mira-Bhayander organised a daylong bandh on July 3, shutting shops to protest the attack and demand a safe working environment. The MNS, led by Raj Thackeray, called for Tuesday’s rally to assert “Marathi pride” and counter the traders’ actions, but the event was denied police permission due to concerns over public order. Despite the prohibition, MNS workers gathered in Mira Road on Tuesday, leading to police response.
“I have spoken to the CP, the police informed me that the alternative route was offered to them but MNS was adamant to hold the rally there. No one is stopped from holding the rally but they have to follow the rules. Thus police cracked down. I understand the sentiment of Maharastra and such tactics won’t work. The Marathi people are big hearted and a Marathi will never have skewed vision”, said Chief Minister Devender Fadnavis, reacting to the developments.
Local MNS leader Avinash Jadhav, head of the party’s Thane and Palghar unit, was detained at his residence around 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, with authorities issuing orders to prevent his entry into Mira-Bhayander. Hundreds of other MNS workers were also taken into custody as they attempted to march, with police deploying heightened security measures to maintain calm in the area. The detentions were confirmed by Thane police officials, who cited the lack of rally authorisation as the reason for their actions.
The Marathi language row has intensified in recent weeks, coinciding with the Maharashtra government’s withdrawal of a three-language policy that mandated Hindi as a third language in schools. The MNS, alongside Shiv Sena (UBT), have claimed credit for the policy reversal, framing it as a victory against “Hindi imposition.” Both Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray came together last Sunday and shared stage, first in 20 years since their fallout, marking a shift in Maharashtra’s political landscape. The leaders-both, had evoked the same Marathi pride sentiment while assuring the union to stay for the “Marathi pride”.
However, the shopkeeper assault has drawn sharp criticism, with many questioning the use of violence to enforce linguistic preferences in a multilingual state like Maharashtra. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned the assault last week, while MNS chief Raj Thackeray issued a controversial statement, during the Sunday event, advising his workers to “slap but not film” such incidents, drawing further backlash. MNS Mumbai unit chief Sandeep Deshpande defended the assailants, claiming Chaudhary had “insulted” Marathi sentiments.
