Amid the growing language dispute in Maharashtra, several members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) were detained during a protest march in Thane. The state government said that while Raj Thackeray’s party was initially given permission for the protest, it was later withdrawn because the party insisted on following a particular route.
Despite this, MNS went ahead with the rally in Thane. The government claimed no final permission was granted. In response, prohibitory orders were issued to stop large gatherings.
After the detentions, MNS leaders accused the state government of stopping the “Marathi people’s march” and not allowing them to raise their voice.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that although the MNS was given permission to hold a protest, it was up to the police to decide the route based on traffic and crowd control concerns. He said the permission was later cancelled because MNS workers insisted on taking a particular route despite the objections.
“The police commissioner informed me that they were asked to change the route, however, they were adamant to take the same route. Therefore, the police rejected their demand,” Fadnavis said.
“I understand Maharashtra’s mood. Such kind of experiment won’t work here. Marathis are big hearted people. Marathis are not narrow-minded,” Fadnavis was quoted as saying by news agency.
The MNS had organised the march as a response to a traders’ protest over the assault of a shopkeeper who allegedly refused to speak Marathi. The detained party workers questioned the government’s stance, asking, “Is this the government of Maharashtra or other state? Why do they not allow Marathi people’s march?”
The party also challenged Fadnavis’s statement about rally permissions, claiming that while traders were allowed to use the Mira Road route for their protest, the same was denied to MNS.
“The traders’ march was organised in Mira Road and police wanted us to organise the march at Ghodbunder Road. This shows that they do not want to permit our march in Mira Road area. Now, all MNS workers across the state will reach Mira Road and, will not rest till cops allow us the protest march there,” said MNS Mumbai president Sandeep Deshpande.
The traders had taken out a protest against the alleged assault of a shop owner by men wearing MNS scarves last week, for refusing to speak in Marathi.
Earlier on Tuesday, a local MNS leader Avinash Jadhav was detained from his home ahead of the planned protest in Thane, news agency reported. The police had reportedly issued orders against Jadhav, the head of MNS’s Thane and Palghar units.
The order stated that 28 cases of cognizable offences had been registered against him.
The police action against MNS workers marks the latest chapter in the growing conflict between the Maharashtra government and the Opposition over the language issue. In recent months, several incidents have surfaced where individuals were allegedly attacked for not speaking or refusing to speak in Marathi, further fuelling tensions.
Adding to the controversy, a government directive mandating Hindi as a compulsory third language in primary schools sparked widespread criticism. Facing strong opposition from political parties and language rights groups, the state government was eventually forced to withdraw the decision.
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