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NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Swift Bail For 7 Workers From Raj Thackeray's MNS In Marathi Slapgate Row
Mumbai: Seven members of Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena - who assaulted a Mumbai shopkeeper for not speaking in Marathi, filmed their brutal attack, and shared it online - were released within hours of being detained yesterday evening, sources told NDTV Friday morning. Maharashtra minister Nitish Rane confirmed their 'arrest' in a brief interview with NDTV. But minutes after he spoke it emerged the seven men had never actually been arrested; they had only been detained and interrogated, their statements recorded, and then released. Mr Rane spoke to NDTV again and seemed uncertain before stating the men will, in fact, be arrested. "Arrest will get done soon... Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) is also looking into it," he claimed, "Marathi should be spoken. No compromises... but nobody should take the law into their hand." Police sources told NDTV the seven had been released on bail bonds since the charges against them are of a lenient nature, and hold a maximum punishment of less than seven years. They can now only be arrested if the charges are amended to include more stringent ones. Deputy Commissioner of Police Prakash Gaikwad earlier told NDTV the assault on the Mumbai shopkeepre, as seen in the video shared online, is clearly a cognisable offence. The assault took place late Sunday. MNS 'Slapgate' Incident The shopkeeper, 48-year-old Babulal Chaudhary, who runs the 'Jodhpur Sweet Shop' in Mumbai's Mira Road suburb, was slapped and threatened by the seven MNS thugs because his staff member, Mr Bagharam, who is from Rajasthan, spoke to the men in Hindi. The thugs demanded Mr Chaudhary and Mr Bagharam speak in Marathi, to which the shopkeeper pointed out, quite correctly, that all languages are spoken in the state. A still from before the shopkeeper's assault. The MNS goons filmed their assault and even posted it online. NDTV identified four of the men in the attack but a police case was filed only two days later. It would be another 24 hours before the police summoned the thugs from Raj Thackeray's party. The assault triggered widespread outrage, particularly since it came as Raj Thackeray and his estranged cousin, Shiv Sena (UBT) boss Uddhav Thackeray, have been claiming credit for forcing the Maharashtra government to backtrack in the 'Hindi imposition' row. MNS, Maha Government Shocker Predictably, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena refused to apologise for the assault; the party's Mumbai unit chief, Sandeep Deshpande, told reporters Mr Chaudhary had 'insulted' Marathi and said, "If there is an attempt to insult Marathi, we will respond. We won't tolerate it." READ | 'If Raj Thackeray Is Criticised...': Amid Slap Row, MNS Goons' Warning What was shocking was Maharashtra Home Minister Yogesh Kadam's response; he said 'action will be taken' against anyone who 'disrespects Marathi', but made no mention of punishing the MNS hooligans. "Marathi will have to be spoken in Maharashtra..." NDTV also spoke to Amol Patil, one of the goons who took part in the assault. He said Mr Chaudhary's 'attitude' had prompted the attack, and that he expected non-Marathi speakers in the state to 'behave' themselves, and learn the language to avoid being attacked. Meanwhile, in a lukewarm and ambivalent response to the attack, senior opposition leader Aaditya Thackeray, who is Uddhav Thackeray's son, only said that Marathi "shouldn't be insulted".
NDTV
3 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Said Have To Speak In Marathi": Man Threatened By Raj Thackeray Party Workers
Mumbai: A worker at a shop in Thane, whose owner was thrashed by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers for asking them why speaking in Marathi should be compulsory, on Wednesday said the accused had first threatened him for not speaking the language. Speaking to NDTV three days after several members of the Raj Thackeray-led party thrashed the 'Jodhpur Sweets' shopkeeper, a resident of Rajasthan's Pali, the worker, Bagharam, said they told him that he has to speak in Marathi in Maharashtra. "They (the MNS workers) were taking out a rally and came inside the shop and asked me for a bottle of water. I gave them water. They then asked me: 'Where do you live'. I said, in Maharashtra. They then said, 'If you live in Maharashtra, you will have to speak Marathi'," Mr Bagharam said. "I said we speak all languages, so they threatened to beat me up and said they would damage the shop," he said. He said they then went to the owner at the counter and had an argument with him. Mr Bagharam said the MNS workers had been coming to the shop for tea and snacks. "That day, they suddenly became violent over the Marathi language," he said. He said he has been living in Mumbai for 15 years and has worked with a lot of Marathi people, but this was the "first time" he had seen such an incident. "We also speak in Marathi whenever required," Mr Bagharam said. Video Shows MNS Workers Slapping Shopkeeper A video has gone viral that shows the MNS workers assaulting the shopkeeper on Sunday night. "You asked me why you should speak in Marathi. What does that mean? When you had trouble, you had come to the MNS office," a member told the shopkeeper, who replied that he had no idea when speaking in the language became compulsory. Another man, who also used some curse words, warned the shopkeeper that he would not be allowed to do business in the area. When the shopkeeper said they would need to teach him Marathi, one of the men said, "Yeah, say that then. What do you mean why should you learn Marathi? This is Maharashtra. Which language is spoken in Maharashtra?" When the shopkeeper replied "all languages", they repeatedly slapped him. A police case has been registered against seven members of the MNS. The incident comes against the backdrop of the Raj Thackeray-led party trying to push for the use of the Marathi language in commercial establishments and banks in Maharashtra. They have also been at the forefront of the campaign against the implementation of the three-language policy in Maharashtra schools, which is part of the National Education Policy.
