Latest news with #RohitLavare
Mint
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
‘Acting smart in Maharashtra?' UP cab driver gets thrashed despite speaking in Marathi
The language dispute in Maharashtra has once again sparked tension. The issue of Marathi imposition in the state is a widely-debated issue. However, in a recent viral video, a cab driver from Uttar Pradesh is seen being assaulted by passengers. The interesting part her is the driver, despite being from UP, did know how to speak in Marathi. The driver apparently arrived about five minutes late, and the ride got cancelled. The passengers demanded that he speak in Marathi. The driver tried. But, his fluency level did not match the expectations of the passengers, who started abusing and beating him. The video starts with one of the passengers demanding, 'Marathi bol (speak in Marathi).' The entire incident was caught on camera, and the 2-minute 49-second video quickly went viral. It clearly shows the passengers not just threatening the driver but also physically attacking him. The driver was asked his name, apparently to determine his origin. The driver said, 'Umesh Kumar Jaiswal.' He also added that his ancestral home was in Varanasi. 'So, you're acting smart in Maharashtra now?' says one of the passengers. The driver apologised for being late as he was asked to. But, his 'tone' was not impressive for the passengers. Then starts a series of explicits in Marathi as the passengers demanded a justification for being late. The driver is asked to come out of the vehicle. When he does, he gets beaten by them. After the video went viral, people on social media strongly criticised the incident. Users called it 'bullying in the name of language' and demanded strict action. According to many, language is meant to connect people, not divide them. 'He knew Marathi, he was calm in the convo he even said sorry, and lastly got slapped. Got nothing but abuse! Sad it is,' wrote a Reddit user. Another user wrote, 'They have no guts to target rich people.' 'This is how we will become a larger economy than China,' came a sarcastic reply. "So, they don't have a problem with non-Marathi speakers, but with non-Marathi people," reacted a Twitter (now X) user. 'Maharashtra is becoming new Bengaluru,' came from another. 'Is the Indian Army fighting to protect these fools? Such people eat the country like termites,' reacted another. 'Nowadays, a very common problem but India is a democratic country so every citizen has the right to speak any language so there shouldn't be any big issue regarding language problems,' wrote one user. The incident follows another incident involving a pizza delivery boy. Rohit Lavare was harassed by a Mumbai couple for not speaking in Marathi. Later, the pizza delivery boy was made to apologise at an MNS office. The boy said it was all a misunderstanding. Social media, however, was not convinced.
News18
16-05-2025
- News18
Delivery Boy Who Claimed Customers Forced Him To Speak Marathi Apologises
Days after a video showing a Domino's delivery agent allegedly being harassed over language issues, a fresh clip has emerged — this time showing the young man publicly apologising. The controversy began when Rohit Lavare, a pizza delivery agent from Mumbai, claimed he was mistreated by a customer for not speaking Marathi. The alleged incident took place on May 12 at the Sai Radhe building in the city's Bhandup area. Lavare recorded and shared a video of the confrontation, which quickly gained traction on social media and drew widespread attention. The matter eventually reached the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), known for advocating Marathi pride.
Mint
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Marathi row: Mumbai pizza delivery boy apologises at MNS office; netizens not convinced, ‘Not my Maharashtra'
Remember the Domino's Pizza delivery boy who was allegedly harassed in Mumbai for not speaking Marathi? A couple reportedly refused to pay him unless he spoke Marathi. Rohit Lavare recorded the incident, and the video went viral on social media. Now, the boy has apologised. The incident happened on May 12 at the Sai Radhe building in Mumbai's Bhandup area. While many stood by the delivery boy, the incident apparently reached a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) office. A new video shows the pizza delivery boy apologising for 'falsely spreading' the Marathi imposition story. 'I did not do this intentionally. I sent it to a Domino's group, and it became viral. Ma'am did make the payment. Let's not have any more misunderstandings. Please make the video viral,' he says as multiple mobile phones record his statement. Then, an MNS leader asks him to apologise to the woman involved in the alleged incident. And, he does. 'Ma'am bahot acchi hai, bhai. Please aisa mat karo. (Ma'am is very nice. Please don't do this),' he tells the camera. 'That's what you get when you don't respect our culture and language!' wrote the user who posted the video on X (formerly Twitter) while appreciating MNS' efforts. The delivery boy also clarifies that the man and the woman in the video are not a couple. They're mother and son. Another MNS worker then reminds him of saying the 'Marathi' thing. The delivery boy continues, 'Main Marathi bolunga bhi. Aur seekhunga bhi. (I'll learn Marathi and speak it, too) Jai Hind. Jai Maharashtra.' Social media is, however, not convinced. Many users claim that the apology seems forced. 'No wonder they did not go to the police to make their complaint but were smart enough with the political party. Makes me wonder what is the real truth about this issue,' commented one user. Another one asked, 'Why is she ordering Italian food? Order Maharashtrian food. Will these people have the audacity to impose the language on someone who's equal in status? They just oppress people like delivery boys, security guards. So shameful.' 'Kanpati pe gun rakh ke koi bhi kuch bhi bulva sakta hai!!! (Anyone can be forced to say anything by putting a gun to someone's head). Maharashtra is transforming to Hooliganism,' came from another. 'This is not my Maharashtra. That's the reason why this political party drawn zero in the last election. Only way to stay relevant they do this stupidity,' wrote a Reddit user.
India Today
14-05-2025
- India Today
Watch: Mumbai couple refuses to pay pizza delivery man for not speaking Marathi
A Domino's Pizza delivery man in Mumbai was harassed by a couple who refused to pay for the order because he did not speak Marathi. The incident took place on Monday night, May 12, at a residential building in the Bhandup area, and has sparked outrage online after a video of the exchange went delivery agent, identified as Rohit Lavare, recorded the argument on his phone. In the video, the customer can be heard saying that they would pay Lavare only if he spoke Lavare tried to reason with the couple, he asked, "Jabardasti hai Marathi bolne ka, par kyun? (Is there a compulsion to speak in Marathi? But why?)" To this, the woman replied, "Hai yahan pe aise hi. (Yes, this is how it is here.)" Watch: Lavare then questioned further, saying, "Who has said this?" and added, "If that was the case, then you should not have ordered. You don't want to pay, isn't it? Fine. (Nahi aata toh phir nahi order karne ka na. Nahi dena hai na paisa, haan theek hai, theek hai)."At one point in the conversation, the woman objected to being recorded and said, "Mera video nahi nikalne ka, main tumhara video nikal sakti hoon. (You cannot record me, while I can.)" Lavare responded, "Ye kaun sa jabardasti hai? (What kind of compulsion is this?)"advertisementAs the situation escalated, a man accompanying the woman tried to shut the door, but she intervened and began recording the delivery agent. Lavare asked the couple to show if the food was in any way bad, "Dikhao na order kharab hai toh dikhao. (Show me if the food you have ordered is bad.)"The video has added fuel to the ongoing Hindi-Marathi language divide in Mumbai, where several such incidents have been reported. In April, a similar incident took place when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) beat up a bank employee in Lonavala for not using Marathi in daily business transactions.
Indian Express
14-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Pizza delivery agent alleges harassment by Mumbai couple for not speaking Marathi, video sparks outrage: ‘Shame'
A video circulating widely on social media has sparked outrage, showing a couple in Mumbai allegedly harassing a pizza delivery agent for not speaking Marathi. The incident reportedly occurred on Monday in a city suburb, and has reignited debates over regional language imposition. According to an NDTV report, the delivery agent, Rohit Lavare, had arrived to deliver a pizza when the couple began pressuring him to speak in Marathi. Despite Lavare's repeated attempts to explain that he did not speak the language, the couple insisted. However, they threatened no payment if Lavare did not converse in Marathi. 'Zabardasti hai Marathi bolne ka? Par kyun?' (You can't force me to speak Marathi. But why?) Lavare is heard asking in the video. To this, the woman responds, 'Hai yahan pe aise hi hai' (That's how it is here), prompting Lavare to challenge her, asking: 'Kaun bola aise hi hai?' (Who says this?) Frustrated, Lavare is later heard saying, 'Nahi aata toh phir nahi order karne ka na. Nahi dena hai na paisa, haan theek hai, theek hai' (If this was your condition, then you shouldn't have ordered. You don't want to pay? Fine, fine). The altercation escalated when the couple reportedly claimed the food was spoiled and refused to pay. At one point, the woman is also seen asserting that the delivery agent could not film them, while she had the right to record him. In the end, Lavare had to leave without receiving payment for the delivery The video quickly gained traction, triggering outrage over the imposition of regional languages. 'I'm a marathi and I'm ashamed to see such people,' a user wrote. 'Well said! This is the biggest weakness of India. So many are obsessed with denigrating and undermining other Indians. You cannot be patriotic unless you are respectful of other citizens of the country,' another user commented. 'I am from Maharashtra and I am proud of our state language Marathi. But this is not correct at all,' a third user reacted. 'Shame,' a fourth user chimed in.
