Just hours after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray strongly criticized the presence of illegal bars in Raigad district, a group of MNS workers allegedly vandalised a bar in the area late Saturday night.
According to a media report, a group of over a dozen men, some carrying sticks, approached the Night Rider bar and forcefully entered the premises. They reportedly caused extensive damage, smashing liquor bottles and breaking furniture.
The incident unfolded shortly after Raj Thackeray questioned the operation of illegal dance bars in Raigad — a district he described as historically significant, once ruled by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Videos of the attack circulated widely on social media, prompting concerns over vigilantism and drawing attention to ongoing debates about illegal commercial establishments in the region.
“Raigad district has the most dance bars. They were closed, right? So many dance bars in Raigad, who owns them? Only Marathi people? So, if you are being evicted from here, then you are being trapped by making you habituated to dance bars. This is our Raigad. Raigad was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” he said during a rally in Panvel on Saturday.
In a swift response to MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s remarks on illegal bars operating in Raigad, party workers targeted the ‘Night Rider’ ladies service bar in Kon village shortly after midnight. Eyewitnesses reported that the group entered the premises and vandalised property, including furniture, in protest against what they described as the “flourishing illegal bar trade” in the district.
MNS leader Sandip Deshpande defended the incident, calling it a form of immediate and necessary action. “This is a symbolic protest, the bars are illegal, that’s why it had to be done immediately. The government should pay attention to this,” said Deshpande.
On social media, the party’s official handle, MNS Social, echoed the sentiment, stating: “This is not about Marathi vs. non-Marathi — it’s about legal vs. illegal. Unauthorised dance bars are running rampantly across the state while the government turns a blind eye. Who’s protecting them? Is the government itself complicit? When the authorities fail, MNS takes action.”
The incident has sparked fresh debate over the growing number of unauthorised bars in the region and the role of enforcement agencies.
👉 Click here to read the latest Gujarat news on TheLiveAhmedabad.com