Workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) were caught on camera, slapping a citizen because he was not speaking Marathi.
In a viral video, the workers can be seen slapping the man repeatedly. Notably, the attackers were much younger than him, but age did not stop these Hindutva goons from assaulting him. This display of violence once again exposes the toxic intolerance festering in Modi’s India.
The incident took place in Mumbai.
When questioned about not using Marathi, the shopkeeper tried to explain, saying, “I did not know Marathi was compulsory. Someone will have to teach me.” One of the men warned him, “Maar khayega?” (Do you want to get beaten?), before the conversation escalated.
Within seconds, two men began slapping him, one of them striking him multiple times, including with the back of his hand, as the shopkeeper struggled to respond. Another man could be heard hurling abuse and warning him he would not be allowed to run a business in the area.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is a regionalist Indian organisation based in the state of Maharashtra and operates on the ideology of Hindutva.
MNS’s Mira-Bhayander district president, defended the action, saying, “If anyone insults the Marathi language, MNS will respond in this manner. In Maharashtra, only Marathi is allowed, and you will have to follow Marathi culture, even if you are Gujarati or Marwari.”
The Raj Thackeray-led MNS has been at the forefront of opposing the three-language formula. The party had even planned a major protest in Mumbai on Saturday against the policy, which mandates the teaching of Hindi, English, and Marathi in Maharashtra’s schools.
