72 Hours After MNS Workers Slap Mumbai Shopkeeper, Cops To Question Accused
Over 72 hours after a Mumbai shopkeeper was assaulted for not speaking in Marathi - his ordeal filmed and circulated online by the assailants - and over 24 hours after the FIR was filed, the police will finally record the statements of the accused, sources told NDTV Thursday morning.
The seven men - members of Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which has refused to apologise for the assault - will be deposed at the Deputy Commissioner of Police's office.
It is unclear if they will be taken into custody after their statements are recorded.
Action against the accused - the first concrete step in what has been dubbed the 'MNS slapgate' case - comes after sustained pressure by NDTV, and demands for justice for 48-year-old Babulal Khimji Chaudhary, the owner of the 'Jodhpur Sweet Shop' in Mumbai's Mira Road suburb.
The video of the awful assault, which took place past 10.30 pm Sunday and has been widely shared online - showed the MNS goons surrounding Chaudhary and threatening him with worse action, including forcibly shutting down his business, if his staff and he don't speak in Marathi.
Bagharam, a migrant worker from Rajasthan, spoke to NDTV after the assault. He said the MNS thugs wanted to buy bottles of water but when he spoke to them in Hindi, they demanded he speak in Marathi. "I said we speak all languages, so they threatened to beat me up..."
The thugs then accosted Chaudhary and attacked him.
READ | "Said Have To Speak In Marathi": Man Threatened By Raj Thackeray Party Workers
As horrific as the assault was, the matter was compounded after the MNS - ironically leading a protest against the 'imposition of Hindi' in the state - refused to apologise to Chaudhary.
The party accused Chaudhary of being 'arrogant'. It said he had provoked his attackers by stating that all languages are spoken in Maharashtra, a statement that is correct.
Experts have pointed out every Indian has the right to speak the language of their choice, a right primarily protected by Article 19 of the Constitution, which esures freedom of speech and expression.
The party has also complained because seven men were named in the FIR names, while the video shows only three hitting Chaudhary.
Meanwhile, Babulal Chaudhary, whose business has been flourishing on Mira Road for the past two decades, told NDTV he would fight to ensure the MNS goons are held to account. "Mumbai is my 'karmabhoomi'... but now I am living in fear. I want safety, I want to feel safe," he said.
Chaudhary - who intends to hold a protest march despite an ominous 'warning' from the MNS - has been backed by fellow traders, many of whom shut shops for the day to signal their support.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
37 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
HC denies bail to man for posts against PM, armed forces
The Allahabad high court on Wednesday rejected the bail application of a man accused of posting objectionable content on social media targeting the Prime Minister and the Indian Armed Forces. The Allahabad high court observed that the freedom of speech guaranteed under the Constitution does not extend to such acts which disrespect high dignitaries and incite disharmony among citizens. (File Photo) The high court observed that the freedom of speech guaranteed under the Constitution does not extend to such acts which disrespect high dignitaries and incite disharmony among citizens. Rejecting the bail application of Ashraf Khan alias Nisrat, justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal said it has become a 'fashion among certain groups of people' to misuse social media under the guise of freedom of expression by making unfounded allegations against national leaders and circulating content that spreads hatred and division. The accused was booked under sections 152 (acts that endanger the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India) and 197 (imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Sasni police station of Hathras district. It was alleged that the accused uploaded edited videos to his Facebook account during the recent India-Pakistan military face-off. According to the prosecution, one video allegedly depicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi walking alongside a donkey pulling a cart fitted with an aircraft, and later portrayed him as apologising to Pakistan. Another portion of the post allegedly showed Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force seated beside the Pakistan Army chief, with captions suggesting that the PM was running to save himself from a Pakistani missile. Additional posts allegedly included slogans such as 'Pakistan Air Force Zindabad' and visuals of Indian aircraft being destroyed by Pakistani jets. Other objectionable content targeting defence minister Rajnath Singh and the PM was also found, according to the prosecution. During the hearing, the applicant's counsel argued that Khan was innocent and had not forwarded the objectionable posts himself, though they were found on his mobile phone. In contrast, the state counsel opposed the bail plea, arguing that the posts created social disharmony and insulted the Indian military establishment. In its order dated July 2 (Wednesday), the court concluded that the nature of the posts reflected disrespect not only towards the Prime Minister but also towards the Indian Armed Forces and its officers. 'Though our Constitution grants the right to freedom of speech and expression to every citizen, that freedom does not extend to posting videos and content that insult the Prime Minister, the Indian Military and its officers. Such actions not only cause social disharmony but also promote separatist sentiment and pose a threat to the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India,' the court observed. Accordingly, the bail application was rejected.
Hindustan Times
37 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
PDA strategy, INDIA bloc strength will work in 2027 too: Akhilesh
Attacking the Uttar Pradesh government over its decision to merge primary and upper primary schools having less than 50 students, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday alleged that it was being done to devoid the poor of education. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. (HT file) Yadav also accused the BJP of strategically targeting the ideals of reservation, socialism and secularism, especially when elections are near. 'Whenever elections in Bihar come close, they start speaking against reservation, the Constitution and secularism. When they fear a backlash from their vote base, they attack these values indirectly by undermining social justice,' he alleged while addressing his party workers after inaugurating the new party office in Azamgarh. He proposed naming the newly inaugurated party office in Azamgarh as 'PDA Bhawan', declaring that only Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (PDA) unity will open the path to social justice and political power. He appealed to the PDA voters to keep an eye on the voters list so that they could exercise their franchise in SP chief claimed that the PDA strategy and INDIA bloc's strength will also work in the 2027 UP assembly polls. Yadav further alleged that the BJP government was identifying such schools wherein booths it had lost and was now planning to close such schools. 'Thousands of such schools are being closed, while liquor shops are being opened indiscriminately,' the SP chief alleged. Referring to the early days of the BJP, Akhilesh reminded the audience of its foundational debates. 'At their first convention, the BJP deliberated on what ideological path to adopt. Some wanted to stick with their original ideology but many knew that India would never accept that path.' Therefore, he said, the BJP chose socialism and secularism but they have forgotten that resolution today. Yadav also extended his party's full support to the Rashtriya Janata Dal in the upcoming assembly assembly polls in Bihar.
Mint
38 minutes ago
- Mint
Indian businesses hoping for US trade deal ahead of tariff deadline, says CII's Memani
New Delhi: Indian businesses are hoping for a breakthrough in trade negotiations with the US as the deadline for higher reciprocal tariffs approaches, said Rajiv Memani, chairman and chief executive of EY India, who has recently taken over as president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for 2025–26. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Memani underscored the urgency of boosting Indian competitiveness through regulatory and business reforms. 'India's economy is expected to grow at 6.4–6.7% this fiscal,' he said, in line with projections in the Economic Survey. Highlighting India's ongoing trade diplomacy, Memani said the country has been actively signing free trade agreements and that 'very good progress' has been made in negotiations with the European Union. 'I think India is dealing more with non-tariff barriers in the EU rather than tariff barriers—and how those non-tariff barriers can be simplified,' he said. On the US front, Memani pointed to the 9 July deadline for concluding a bilateral trade deal, which would avert a sharp increase in tariffs on Indian exports. 'In the case of the US, we have a date,' he said, referring to the pending imposition of a 26% reciprocal tariff that would replace the current 10% baseline if no agreement is reached. US President Donald Trump's 'reciprocal tariffs' policy—announced in April—seeks to impose higher import duties on countries that levy steeper tariffs on American goods, triggering a wave of trade renegotiations. A broad 10% baseline tariff was introduced, with higher rates applied to countries such as China and Vietnam. A temporary 90-day pause was allowed for bilateral negotiations ahead of the 9 July deadline. 'Most businesses, most CII members are very keen that an agreement or an FTA—or some tranche of an FTA—gets signed, because people are wary of a tariff being imposed. And I think there is a reasonable sense of confidence that something may happen in the not-too-distant future. Those FTA engagements are going on very well,' Memani added. Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he was expecting a deal with India, 'in which case, there will be much less tariffs.' Memani cautioned, however, that even as India expands its trade ties, competition from the Western world is intensifying. 'Tariffs will go down for a large part of the Western world, and Indian industry will be facing more intense competition,' he said. 'Therefore, the urgency to do reforms, the urgency to do business reforms, and the urgency to enhance competitiveness is very high. We are seeing much greater receptivity and openness in the government to look at ease of doing business,' Memani noted. He added that India must focus on both labour-intensive and advanced manufacturing, while also preparing for the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. 'One issue that needs attention is how AI will impact the efficiency of Indian industry—and how related challenges such as employment are dealt with,' he said. CII expects India's real GDP to grow by 6.4-6.7% in FY26. 'This projection, generated through CII's GDP growth model, reinforces India's position as the fastest-growing major economy in the world,' Memani said. To ensure India doesn't fall behind in the AI race, CII has proposed setting up a National AI Authority to coordinate policy, infrastructure, and adoption. The body would also support investments in semiconductor fabrication facilities, cloud infrastructure, and AI skilling programs, he said. Given the rise in global protectionism and trade uncertainty, Memani emphasized that domestic consumption remains India's primary growth driver. 'India is becoming increasingly reliant on it to sustain momentum,' he said.
