What’s The Marathi Language Row In Maharashtra? Has Raj Thackeray Issued A Warning? Explained
MNS workers beat up a bank official for not speaking in Marathi, and launched campaigns to renew push for Marathi. Condemnation from bank unions and pressure from the state government have forced Raj Thackeray to halt the stir
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers went on a rampage last week pushing for Marathi language and identity politics in the state. They launched demonstrations to pressure bank officials to conduct business in Marathi, after thrashing up an employee for not speaking in the official state language.
The aggressive stance followed MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s speech on ‘Gudi Padwa’ (March 30), where he urged his supporters “not to hesitate and slap those refusing to speak Marathi in the state".
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However, the renewed push from MNS received massive backlash from several quarters, including the bank employees.
What Raj Thackeray Said
In an open letter to MNS workers, Thackeray wrote, “First of all, I congratulate you for once again raising your strong voice for the Marathi issue in Maharashtra. I had ordered you at the Gudi Padwa gathering to check whether transactions are being done in Marathi in banks in Maharashtra, and if not, inform the bank administration about it. From the next day, you went to banks across Maharashtra and insisted on the use of Marathi, which was a good thing".
He further wrote: “This not only sent the message that no one can take Marathi language and Marathi people for granted, but also showed the organisational strength of the MNS, which is present everywhere," Thackeray wrote, adding: “Now we can stop the agitation because we have created enough awareness on these issues, and have shown a glimpse of what can happen if this (use of Marathi) does not happen."
Later, on Saturday, he appealed to the MNS workers to stop the agitation after praising them for bring the issue o the forefront.
Why Did He Ask MNS Workers To Stop The Stir?
As per a report by The Indian Express, the Mahayuti government led by Devendra Fadnavis was “under pressure" to control the regional outfit in view of the assembly elections in Bihar. They party believes that stray incidents such as these could prove as a disadvantage for them in the Bihar polls.
Thackeray’s request to his MNS workers also came a day after bank unions wrote to CM Fadnavis, raising serious objections about the assaults. “Bank officials are being threatened and assaulted. Such an atmosphere of intimidation does not augur well for the employees’ well-being and functioning of financial institutions," the letter read.
Fadnavis has often credited the stable government for drawing investments worth Rs 15.78 lakh crore — the highest by any state — at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos in January.
Meanwhile, Bombay High Court lawyer Abid Abbas Sayyed has issued a notice to the state’s Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla and Home Minister Fadnavis, demanding action against MNS members.
While stressing that Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra, Sayyed said no individual or group has the authority to impose language mandates through coercion or threats. “Every citizen of India has the right to communicate in any constitutionally permitted language," the notice states.
The notice alleges that the MNS’ actions breached constitutional rights such as freedom of speech, disrupted social harmony, and violated provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as well as banking regulations.
Sayyed has given authorities seven days to arrest the individuals involved and file FIRs, warning that he would otherwise move the High Court.
History Of MNS Marathi Campaign
The MNS had launched its ‘Marathi Manoos’ campaign time and again to show their aggressive stance on the issue.
One of the core agendas of Raj Thackeray, after forming MNS in 2006, was championing the rights of the ‘Marathi Manoos’. Some of his early campaigns included forcing businesses to display their names in Marathi, leading to violent protests and legal cases against party workers.
In 2007-08, MNS activists launched attacks against north Indian migrants and candidates from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who had come to Mumbai for railway recruitment exams, arguing that jobs in Maharashtra should be given to local youth. The incidents triggered national outrage, with leaders from those states condemning MNS’s actions.
But despite its campaigns to tap Marathi voters, the MNS won only 13 seats in the 2009 Maharashtra Assembly elections. In subsequent elections, the party’s vote share has enormously declined due to shifting demographics in Mumbai and the growing influence of parties like the BJP and different factions of the Shiv Sena.
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