Thane, Maharashtra: Tensions escalated in Maharashtra on Monday as several Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were detained by police in Thane after they attempted to carry out a protest march in support of the Marathi language. The state government had denied them permission for the march, citing security and logistical concerns.
The MNS, led by Raj Thackeray, had organized the march to counter an earlier protest by traders opposing the assault of a shopkeeper who allegedly refused to speak in Marathi. The incident has reignited the long-standing language debate in the state.
MNS workers, angered by the restrictions, accused the state government of suppressing the voice of Marathi-speaking citizens.
“Is this the government of Maharashtra or some other state? Why are they not allowing the Marathi people’s march?” asked one of the detained MNS activists.
Government Justifies Denial of Route
According to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the MNS was permitted to protest, but the police had imposed conditions on the route to avoid public inconvenience and maintain law and order.
“The police commissioner informed me that they were asked to change the route; however, they were adamant to take the same route. Therefore, the police rejected their demand,” said Fadnavis.
The police had issued prohibitory orders in the area, restricting the assembly of people, which led to the confrontation and subsequent detention of several party workers.
The government maintained that the route restriction was purely based on traffic and crowd management considerations, not political motives.
Background: The Trigger for the March
The MNS march was planned in response to a protest held by shopkeepers who objected to an MNS activist allegedly assaulting a trader who refused to converse in Marathi. The opposition claimed that linguistic imposition was being enforced, while MNS insisted that respect for the state language must be upheld by all residents.
The latest incident highlights the sensitive and polarizing nature of language politics in Maharashtra, with Marathi pride at the center of the MNS’s political ideology.