Maharashtra Minister Yogesh Kadam on Thursday stressed that speaking Marathi in the state is mandatory, warning that disrespecting the language would lead to legal consequences. His remarks come in the wake of a viral video from Thane, where a food stall owner was assaulted for allegedly refusing to speak Marathi.
“In Maharashtra, you have to speak Marathi. If you don’t know Marathi, your attitude shouldn’t be that you won’t speak Marathi,” Kadam told reporters.
“If anyone disrespects Marathi in Maharashtra, we will enforce our laws.”
While defending the importance of Marathi, Kadam also condemned the assault, urging people not to take the law into their own hands.
“Those who beat up the shopkeeper should not have taken the law into their own hands. They should have filed a complaint. Action would have been taken,” he added.
The incident has renewed attention on the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, which has long pushed for the mandatory use of Marathi in banks, shops, and commercial establishments.
Parallel Debate: Should Hindi Be in Schools?
The controversy comes amid a broader language debate in the state. On Wednesday, Amruta Fadnavis, wife of deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, said:
“Hindi should be part of the curriculum, as it helps connect people across regions.”
Her remarks follow the state government’s recent rollback of a decision that would have made Hindi a mandatory third language from Classes 1 to 5 — a move withdrawn after criticism from opposition leaders and Marathi language advocacy groups.