In Thane, a concerning incident has surfaced involving Rajan Vichare, a senior leader from Shiv Sena UBT, where traders were allegedly assaulted for not speaking Marathi. This event follows closely on the heels of a similar episode in Mira-Bhayandar, where MNS workers attacked a shop owner for the same reason.
The incident, captured in a video that has since gone viral on social media, allegedly shows Vichare summoning traders to his office in Thane. There, his supporters purportedly subjected them to physical violence, including slapping, and forced them to apologize for not communicating in Marathi. The video also purportedly depicts the men being compelled to touch Vichare's feet as a sign of apology. Vichare and his subordinates are seen in the video repeatedly demanding that the traders converse only in Marathi.
This incident has sparked outrage and raised serious concerns about the safety of the business community in Maharashtra. Traders have voiced deep anxiety, stating that such events are damaging communal harmony and negatively impacting business sentiment. The business community in Mira-Bhayandar responded to the earlier MNS attack by shutting down shops in protest.
The recent incidents have ignited a debate over language politics in Maharashtra. Some view these actions as捍衛捍衛 Marathi language and culture, while others condemn them as acts of aggression and intimidation.
Following the uproar, Aaditya Thackeray stated that the incident had nothing to do with the Marathi language.
