Latest news with #Marwadi
News18
6 days ago
- News18
MNS Workers Thrash Marwadi Shopkeeper Over WhatsApp Post Against Marathis
Last Updated: A video of the incident shows the MNS workers warning others against disrespecting the Marathi language and culture. A Vikroli-based Marwadi shopkeeper was assaulted by local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers after he allegedly posted a WhatsApp status 'insulting the Marathi Manoos (Marathi-speaking people)'. The incident took place outside his shop, where the MNS members confronted him, physically assaulted him, and forced him to issue a public apology to the entire Marathi community. In the video that has surfaced online, MNS workers can be seen warning others against disrespecting the Marathi language and culture. They also urged locals to boycott shops owned by individuals who allegedly insult the Marathi-speaking population. In the clip, the man can be seen holding his ears and folding his hands as he issues an apology. This video comes only a few days after MNS members were captured on camera allegedly assaulting a food stall owner in Thane for not speaking in Marathi, reported NDTV. The workers were arrested and were granted bail within hours. A viral video of the incident that emerged on social media platforms showed some of them wearing scarves with the MNS symbol. view comments First Published: July 17, 2025, 07:04 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.
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Marathi row: as assault on shopkeeper snowballs into major issue, MNS-Sena (UBT) stage joint protest march in Thane
The assault of a local shopkeeper in Mira Road escalated into a political showdown Tuesday, as workers of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) staged a joint protest march, for the first time in several years, in Thane. The current tension stems from a June 29 incident when Babulal Chaudhary, 48, a sweet shop owner, was assaulted – allegedly by MNS workers – for not speaking in Marathi. A video of assault had gone viral, drawing much criticism. Following this, shopkeepers in the region organised an agitation. The Kashimira police in Mira-Bhayander then booked seven MNS workers. While the assault initially drew criticism from traders' associations — many of whom belong to the Marwadi and Jain communities — the political temperature rose sharply after a bandh was observed on July 3, reportedly at the behest of BJP leader and former MLA Narendra Mehta. MNS and Sena (UBT) leaders have alleged that Mehta played a key role in instigating the bandh and used the issue to mobilise shopkeepers ahead of the civic body polls. A video from the bandh, showing a local woman trader stating that 'if we keep our shops closed for seven days, people will go hungry,' went viral, drawing sharp backlash from Marathi-speaking groups which interpreted it as an insult. According to MNS functionaries, the backlash to such remarks — widely circulated online — further intensified anger within the Marathi-speaking community and directly contributed to the protest march on Tuesday. Although police had advised against the protest citing law and order concerns, MNS Thane district president Avinash Jadhav announced that the march would go ahead. He was detained from his Thane residence around 3.30 am on Tuesday along with some of his supporters. Despite the preventive detention by the police, the MNS and Sena (UBT) workers gathered in large numbers across Mira Road. Transport Minister and local MLA Pratap Sarnaik also joined the protest, defying police advisories. However, he was driven away by the protesters within minutes. Responding to the issue, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that permission was not denied for the protest but MNS was asked to change the route. 'It would be wrong to say we blocked the Mira Road protest. I spoke to the police commissioner. The police only asked the organisers to take an alternate route due to safety and traffic concerns. The organisers refused,' he said. He added, 'Maharashtra is a democratic state. Protests are allowed, but not in a way that disrupts public order.' Sources, however, said that Fadnavis has sought a report from the Maharashtra police chief over the detention of MNS leaders and refusal to give permission for the march. At the protest site, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande targeted the business community, saying: 'You are traders — remain traders. Don't interfere in politics or insult Marathi.' Sena (UBT) leaders accused the administration of detaining Marathi-speaking protesters while failing to act against those who made provocative statements during the bandh on July 3. Meanwhile, Avinash Jadhav was released from detention by Tuesday afternoon. He rejoined supporters and addressed the gathering, calling for unity and warning further backlash if Marathi people are insulted. Jadhav claimed that the police told him that he was detained because they were under pressure from the government. Shiv Sena leader and Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam, however said that the protest march was organised without permission and an FIR will be registered against the organisers. The police's action drew sharp criticism not only from Opposition parties like Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), but also from within the ruling Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde. Several leaders questioned why similar enforcement was not applied to other groups. 'If non-Maharashtrians can organise protests without permission, why can't Marathi people?' NCP(SP) MLA Rohit Pawar asked.
India Gazette
04-07-2025
- Health
- India Gazette
PM Modi-led BJP govt provided vaccine to 130 crore Indians: Amit Shah
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 4 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah, praised the PM Modi-led BJP government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting India's achievements in manufacturing vaccines and protecting its citizens. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of Poona Lifespace International in Pune, Shah said, 'When we faced the biggest pandemic of the century, India was one of the first countries to manufacture a vaccine. PM Modi-led BJP government provided vaccine to 130 crore Indians and protected them.' Shah emphasised the importance of societal participation in addressing health issues, saying, 'No matter how much a government does, it cannot manage everything. By the time society takes part in it, health issues don't become a movement, no government can protect all the citizens of the country...' 'Today, I am delighted that at PHRC Life Science Organisation in Pune, people from the Marwadi and Gujarati communities have come together with a vision to start a new direction, a new perspective, and a new era. With this in mind, they have decided to advance medical services, medical education, and medical work on a 14-acre campus with 14 lakh (1.4 million) square feet.', Shah added. Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the inauguration ceremony of the Jairaj Sports and Convention Centre, built by the Shree Poona Gujarati Bandhu Samaj in Pune. He praised the society for creating a modern and beautiful building that represents the Gujarati community in the country. In his address, Shah said, 'I was in Pune for a while during my early life. When I received the invitation, I was curious about it. But it all became clear when I saw your full catalogue along with the invitation,' Shah said. Amit Shah described the building as the 'most beautiful building representing Gujarati society in the entire country.' 'This is the Shree Poona Gujarati Bandhu Samaj, the most beautiful building representing Gujarati society in the entire country. When I was a minister in the Government of Gujarat, the then Chief Minister and today's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, granted 5 crore for the development of buildings for the Gujarati community,' he added. The centre was constructed through contributions from members over 13 years, from 2012 to 2025, without controversy and with proper guidance. Shah appreciated the society's efforts in building a thoroughly modern structure with a business-oriented perspective, serving various types of enterprises. 'I had a vision in my mind about what the Pune Gujarati Bandhu Society might look like. But when I saw it in person, I realised that this is not just a public institution, it is a thoroughly modern structure built from a business-oriented perspective, serving us and various types of enterprises. I firmly believe that this building reflects the evolving dynamics of the society it represents. From 2012 to 2025, over 13 years, members of the society have come together, contributing according to their capacities. Whether through donations, time, or effort, everything was done without controversy and with proper guidance. That is how such a beautiful building has come into existence,' he said. Shah praised Pune, saying it has been a symbol of knowledge, nationalism, social awareness, and freedom throughout the country. Shah said, 'This city, Punya Nagari, has been a symbol of knowledge, nationalism, social awareness, and freedom throughout the country. It has led from the front at every stage in history. When India fought against the Mughals, it was Shivaji Maharaj who laid the foundation of 'Hindavi Swarajya' from this land. During the British era, it was here that Lokmanya Tilak roared, 'Swaraj is my birthright.' That one sentence became a mantra for youth and ignited the freedom movement across the country. Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, we eventually achieved independence. This sacred city has been the birthplace of our Vedas and Upanishads, our literature and arts. At the same time, Maharashtra has also led the way in social reform. Many saints of the Bhakti movement have come from here.' Shah highlighted the significance of Gujarati culture, saying, 'Wherever a Gujarati lives, there will always be Gujarati culture'. 'The Shree Poona Gujarati Bandhu Samaj of Pune has been an integral part of Maharashtra and Pune since 1913, spanning over 112 years, and has grown in step with the region's progress. After joining the party, I travelled the country for 116 days. During that journey, a journalist in Nagaland asked me, 'Do you still remember Gujarati?' I told him, 'Wherever a Gujarati lives, there will always be Gujarati culture.'' Because wherever Gujaratis go, they are like sugar in a glass of milk; they mix in smoothly, enriching the place. Gujaratis never struggle to move forward; they help the entire region progress.' Earlier, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah arrived in Pune for a two-day visit to Maharashtra. He was welcomed at the Pune airport by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with senior BJP leaders and party workers. The visit is expected to include several high-level meetings, public addresses, and organisational reviews across the state. (ANI)
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Exclusive- Anuja Sathe gets candid about the preparations behind essaying Karpura Devi in Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan, television's grand historical epic, continues to captivate audiences with tremendous storytelling, grand visuals, and strong performances. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now , who plays the character of Karpura Devi, exclusively shared with Times Of India TV what went behind preparing for the role. The actress also shared her excitement about working with the same team again after . Anuja on working with the team again Very, very exciting because the last show that I did on TV was with the same production house, and now I'm again coming back on TV with the same production itself. So, it's very exciting. It's a great feeling because I know everybody, I've worked with them, and I know how they mount their historical shows. They are specialised, we can say, in making historicals and everything. So, it's great. It's great to be back. And back with the people that I already worked with. What went behind carving a role like Kapura Devi? So, basically, this part of the culture I was completely unaware of. Culture, history and reading up about it and knowing who was involved in this particular region and how the kings ruled and what the history was that went behind it and all of that. That was very new to me. Also, the language part where we have kept the nuances of a little bit of Marwadi and a combination of Hindi. Of course, it's more of Hindi and very little Marwadi is used. But I think that accent and those nuances matter a lot. So, I had to have an understanding of how those words are spoken, what the accent is and how these things are said. Because in the meantime, I had done lots of different work, where it was modern Hindi, English mix, English as we call it. And now going back to the roots, the pure Hindi-based with little Marwadi was a little tough part for me in the beginning. So, I sat with the creatives, and I read the script. We had episodes in our hands already. So, I sat with them so that they could correct me at that given point in time and tell me how it's pronounced. These kinds of preparations went on into putting something into this character. Keep reading this space for more updates.
NDTV
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
"Tick It Off Bucket List": Garba By Indian Tourists In Austria Goes Viral
A video of a group of Indian tourists performing Garba, a traditional Gujarati folk dance, on the streets of Austria has gone viral. The woman, who shared the video on her Instagram account, said she could now tick it off her bucket list. The clip showed 43 Gujarati and Marwadi tourists performing garba in the historic old town of Innsbruck, Austria. "This is really happening," said the woman who posted the clip. She revealed they came across two local street performers and asked them if they could play a Garba song on their speaker. At first, the performers refused, saying it would cause trouble with the police. But the Indian group insisted they would not leave without dancing. Eventually, the artists agreed, and the group performed Garba for five minutes. "Have you ever thought of playing Garba in Europe? Well, I had and now I can tick it off the bucket list," she captioned the video. View this post on Instagram A post shared by pearl:) (@ipearlshah) The video went viral but also faced criticism. One person commented, "Those performers are buskers; they are working hard to earn money. You literally disturbed them in their working hours and took away the spotlight for your own fun. Imagine someone coming to your workplace and ask you to use your laptop just to play games for fun. As a tourist, please learn to respect other art forms and artists." Another wrote, "This is just embarrassing and the precise reason why Indian tourists get a bad name. Being obsessed with doing this and being forced to do this on foreign soil is just plain ridiculous. Even in India, nobody does this randomly. Please think of other Indian tourists when you do such stuff." "I'm a Gujju and love garba, but sorry, I just don't get the obsession of doing it on abroad streets and being proud of something. I mean, we don't even do that in Indian on a random day and random street." Last week, a video of a grand Indian baraat, involving around 400 people, dancing through New York's iconic Wall Street, also went viral. It showed people dressed in shimmery sarees and sequinned lehengas dancing to Bollywood music on DJ beats. The groom and around 400 people were seen grooving to the dhols and DJ beats.
