Mumbai: MNS workers assault shopkeeper over post they claim insulted Marathi
Defending their action, a party leader said that ‘Marathi people will naturally respond’ if someone ‘disrespects’ their language.
Workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena assaulted a shopkeeper in Mumbai’s Vikhroli on Wednesday for sharing a social media post that they claimed insulted the Marathi community and language, reported The Indian Express.
In a video of the assault that was widely circulated online, workers of the Raj Thackeray-led party, including office-bearer Vishwajeet Dholam, could be seen physically assaulting the shopkeeper, forcing him to apologise and parading him through the area.
The party workers also told residents of the area to boycott shops owned by those who “disrespect Marathi people”, according to Hindustan Times.
While speaking to reporters later, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Avinash Yadav defended the workers’ actions.
“If someone comes to Maharashtra, earns a livelihood here, and then disrespects the Marathi language, Marathi people will naturally respond,” The Indian Express quoted Yadav as saying.
No police complaint has been filed in the matter yet.
Dukandar par akramak MNS #mumbai #vikhroli #maanse #mns #maharastra #marathi #gujrati #mumbainews #news #newsupdate #viral #viralvideo pic.twitter.com/2g4EpCnZOq
— MUMBAI TV (@tv_mumbai) July 17, 2025
The incident comes days after an auto rickshaw driver was assaulted by a group of persons believed to be members of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) in Maharashtra’s Palghar district for making “anti-Marathi” remarks.
On July 5, suspected workers of the MNS had vandalised the Mumbai office of entrepreneur Sushil Kedia, a day after he posted on social media that he had lived in the city for 30 years without learning Marathi “properly”.
On the same day, Raj Thackeray told his supporters that people living in Maharashtra should know Marathi, but there was no need to beat someone if they do not speak the language.
On June 29, seven unidentified persons, also believed to be members of the MNS, had assaulted a shopkeeper in Thane district for not speaking in Marathi.
The incidents took place amid an escalating row in Maharashtra, triggered by the state government’s move to make Hindi a “generally” taught third language for Class 1 to Class 5 in Marathi and English medium schools.
On June 29, the state government withdrew the resolution following widespread backlash.
