Latest news with #Marathi-speaking
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Language, longing and belonging in Maharashtra
The Maharashtra government's proposal to introduce Hindi as one of the three languages to be taught under the three-language formula had nothing against Marathi. In no way would it have damaged the future of Marathi. It could be that the Thackeray brothers conveniently used it to mobilise public opinion. But on the ground, three things are clear. First, exploiting the issue of Marathi versus Hindi will certainly not help the cause of Marathi. Second, it may not help the Thackeray cousins revive their electoral prospects. And third, it may not seriously dent the support base of the Mahayuti government. No doubt, in Maharashtra the prominence of the Marathi language cannot and should not be undermined at any cost. The three-language formula has been there for decades and many of my generation in the state learnt Hindi from the fifth standard. However, in the context of the recently-manufactured controversy, Marathi lovers would do well to be mindful of certain key factors. The first and foremost is that the prestige of any language depends on whether its native speakers take pride in speaking it in public. Today, in Mumbai, many Marathi-speaking people routinely use either Hindi or English even while conversing with their Marathi-speaking friends. One of the many reasons for this strange behaviour is that somewhere deep in their minds, there is a feeling that speaking in Hindi or English adds to their dignity, as against their own mother-tongue. The impact of this complex is so grave that most Marathi-medium schools in Mumbai are on the verge of extinction. Can one blame Hindi-speaking Maharashtrians for this? Again, unlike in Chennai or Kolkata, in Mumbai, outsiders feel more at home as they can do very well without any working knowledge of Marathi. The Marathi theatre is known for its vibrancy and has a rich tradition. And yet, Marathi plays or movies hardly find a place in non-Marathi newspapers because most English and Hindi newspapers in Mumbai don't feel the need to have Marathi-speaking mediapersons among their staff. Unless the Marathi language and culture makes a powerful entry into the ethos of the non-Marathi people, Marathi cannot grow.
Mint
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
MNS workers now assault toilet attendant for not speaking in Marathi: ‘What will you do?' — viral video
Incidents of violence over language continue to make headlines in Maharashtra, with yet another man reportedly assaulted for refusing to speak Marathi. The latest case comes from Nanded, where workers allegedly linked to Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) confronted and slapped a public toilet attendant after he refused to converse in Marathi. A video of the incident has surfaced online. It shows a Marathi-speaking man questioning a toilet attendant at the central bus stand in Nanded for charging women ₹ 5 to use the facility. The man, who was recording the exchange, insisted the attendant speak in Marathi. In the video, the attendant is heard responding, 'I won't speak in Marathi. What will you do?' According to reports, the man filming the conversation later lodged a complaint with the bus stand authorities and also sent the footage to local MNS workers. A group of MNS members then confronted the attendant, slapped him, and forced him to publicly apologise for refusing to use the local language. This incident adds to a growing list of similar attacks in the recent past, all allegedly linked to MNS's long-standing push for the use of Marathi in public spaces across the state. Earlier this month, a shopkeeper in Mumbai was caught on camera being assaulted for not speaking Marathi. In Palghar, an auto-rickshaw driver was publicly beaten over the same issue. On July 1, MNS workers were seen slapping a street food vendor for his refusal to speak the language. The Marathi language issue came into the spotlight earlier this month during protests by the MNS and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), who claimed there was a 'Hindi imposition' in Maharashtra under the excuse of enforcing the three-language policy. The situation escalated in Thane when MNS workers slapped a shopkeeper several times after he questioned them about why speaking in Marathi should be compulsory.
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
‘What Will You Do?': Hindi-Speaking Man Assaulted By MNS Workers For Refusing To Speak Marathi
Last Updated: Violent incidents relating to language have increased lately in Maharashtra. Several videos have surfaced, showing people getting assaulted for refusing to speak Marathi. Violent incidents in the name of language are ceasing to die down, as yet another person was assaulted, allegedly by Raj Thackeray's MNS workers, for not speaking Marathi. A video of the incident, which occurred in Maharashtra's Nanded, has surfaced, showing a Marathi-speaking man confronting a Hindi-speaker and asking him to converse in the local language. A public toilet attendant at Nanded's central bus stand charged women Rs 5 for using the facility. A Marathi man questioned this and recorded the exchange between the two. As he insisted that the attendant speak in Marathi, the latter said, 'I won't speak in Marathi. What will you do?" The man who shot the video also complained to the bus stand staff and then sent the footage to MNS workers, who, in turn, confronted the toilet attendant and slapped him. They forced him to publicly apologise for refusing to speak Marathi. The latest incident comes in a string of similar assaults in parts of Maharashtra, allegedly by MNS workers. The party has had a long-standing campaign of the use of Marathi in public spaces in Maharashtra. The violence in the name of language has seen a significant rise in recent weeks. A shopkeeper in Mumbai was assaulted on camera for not speaking in Marathi. An auto-rickshaw driver in Palghar was assaulted in public over his refusal to speak Marathi. Earlier on July 1, a street food vendor was slapped by the MNS workers for refusing to speak in the language. view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 22:10 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
4 days ago
- News18
‘Speak Marathi Or Get Out': Seat Dispute In Mumbai Local Turns Into Language Debate
Last Updated: The dispute originally began over seating arrangements but quickly turned personal, with the woman's language choice becoming a flashpoint. A routine commute in a Mumbai local turned into a heated argument after a verbal altercation broke out between women passengers in the ladies' compartment, reportedly over a seat. The spat quickly turned into a debate over language, with a group of Marathi-speaking women allegedly demanding a fellow passenger stop speaking in Hindi and switch to Marathi. The incident took place in a crowded compartment and was also captured on video. In the footage, one woman is heard objecting to being addressed in Hindi, insisting that Marathi be used instead. The disagreement originally began over seating arrangements but quickly turned personal, with the woman's language choice becoming a flashpoint. 'If you want to stay in our Mumbai, speak Marathi; otherwise, get out," she told her. Several videos making the rounds on social media show MNS workers confronting shopkeepers, auto drivers, and even bank employees for not speaking Marathi. In one such incident, a medical shop employee was beaten and forced to apologise publicly for allegedly posting a WhatsApp status deemed disrespectful to the Marathi language. In another separate incident, a Vikroli-based Rajasthani shopkeeper was assaulted by local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers after he allegedly posted a WhatsApp status 'insulting the Marathi Manoos (Marathi-speaking people)'. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Speak In Marathi": Fight Over Seat In Mumbai Local Turns Into Language Row
Mumbai: A seemingly small fight over a seat in a Mumbai local train escalated into a full-blown language row earlier this week, with one woman telling the other to learn Marathi or "get out". The incident took place on Friday evening in a crowded ladies' coach of the train running on the Central line. A video of the incident went viral on social media, in which six to seven women can be seen arguing over a seat - something that is not strange to a Mumbai local. However, during this time, one woman criticised another passenger for not speaking in Marathi. "If you want to stay in our Mumbai, speak Marathi, otherwise get out," she told her. Soon after, other women in the train also joined the debate. According to officials, the Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police are investigating the incident. This comes amid the ongoing language row in Maharashtra, with Raj Thackeray's MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) party workers being criticised for their continuous targeting and confrontation of people not speaking in Marathi. Earlier this week, a shopkeeper in Mumbai's Vikhroli was assaulted by MNS workers over a WhatsApp status deemed offensive to the Marathi-speaking community. The video shows the shopkeeper being forced to apologise publicly while being threatened and physically attacked. On July 1, MNS workers in Thane slapped a street food vendor for refusing to converse in Marathi. In another incident, a migrant auto-rickshaw driver in Maharashtra's Palghar district was assaulted in full public view by MNS and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) supporters. MNS workers also vandalised businessman Sushil Kedia's office in Mumbai, days after he vowed not to learn Marathi. The incident was captured on camera, in which five to six supporters of Raj Thackeray can be seen throwing what looked like bricks at the office. A security personnel rushed in to stop the attack, but they only stopped after emptying the bags. The businessman later issued an apology.
