In a shocking incident in Maharashtra’s Virar area, workers allegedly linked to the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena (UBT) assaulted a rickshaw driver for refusing to speak in Marathi. The driver had earlier declared in a viral video that he would continue to speak in Hindi and Bhojpuri, sparking outrage among certain groups.
Viral video sparks backlash
The controversy began a few days ago when a video surfaced on social media in which the rickshaw driver defiantly said, “I will speak Hindi, Bhojpuri- what will you do about it?” The video, laced with offensive language, led to heated debates on social media and among local residents over linguistic preferences in Maharashtra.
Assault in broad daylight
On Saturday evening near Virar railway station, Shiv Sena (UBT) workers reportedly tracked down the driver and physically assaulted him. A video has emerged showing the driver being slapped and then publicly humiliated. He was made to fold his hands and apologize, saying, “I apologize to the Marathi people, I apologize to Maharashtra.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) Virar city chief Uday Jadhav, who was present at the scene, later justified the action.
"If anyone dares to insult the Marathi language, Maharashtra, or Marathi people, they will get a reply in the true Shiv Sena style. We will not sit silent," Jadhav told media.
Public reaction divided
The incident has sparked sharp reactions among the public. While some people supported the Shiv Sena workers’ actions as a defense of regional pride, many condemned the assault, stating that taking the law into one’s own hands is unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent.
No police action yet
As of now, the police have not registered any official complaint regarding the incident. The lack of immediate legal action has raised concerns about freedom of expression and the use of force in the name of linguistic or regional identity.
Political overtones surface
The incident comes amid heightened tensions over language politics in Maharashtra. After past controversies involving the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), similar aggressive tactics now appear to be emerging from the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction as well.
Amid ongoing tensions over language issues in Maharashtra, a fresh controversy erupted after workers of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) allegedly slapped a food stall owner in Bhayander, Thane district, on July 1 for refusing to speak in Marathi. The incident sparked outrage among local traders, who soon organised a protest condemning the act.
In response, the MNS, along with other groups, held a counter-protest on July 8 in the Mira-Bhayander area to assert Marathi 'asmita' (pride). The demonstration led to the detention of several activists by the police. Notably, leaders and workers from the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) also joined the MNS-led protest march, adding a political dimension to the language debate.
