MNS workers protesting against the controversy over speaking Hindi in Mira Road, Thane, were detained by the police for holding a demonstration without permission. Fadnavis said: Everyone has the right to protest, within the rules.
Maharashtra: A controversy erupted in the Mira Road area of Thane district in Maharashtra on Monday over a language dispute. Several Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were detained by the police. These workers were protesting against an incident in which an employee of a sweet shop was allegedly slapped for speaking in Hindi. The police said that action was taken because permission for the demonstration had not been obtained.
What is the whole matter?
On Sunday night, seven MNS workers arrived at a sweet shop called 'Jodhpur Sweets' in Mira Road. It is alleged that they assaulted the shopkeeper, Babulal Choudhary, and his employee, Bagharam. The only reason was that the employee had spoken to a customer in Hindi. The workers forced him to speak Marathi and when he refused, he was attacked.
Rally taken out without permission
On Monday morning, MNS workers arrived to take out a rally to protest against the incident. They said that the attack on speaking Hindi was condemnable and it was necessary to raise a voice against it. However, the police had not given permission for the demonstration. According to the officials, the rally was not approved keeping in mind the traffic and public order.
During the demonstration, when the workers came on the road despite being denied by the police, the police detained them. The workers were taken to the local police station by putting them in a van. Some of the detained workers said that if they want to live in Maharashtra, they have to learn Marathi. At the same time, some questioned why they were stopped when the shopkeepers were allowed to protest.
Fadnavis' statement
Deputy Chief Minister of the state, Devendra Fadnavis, reacted on the matter. He said that everyone has the right to protest, but it is necessary to follow the law. He said that the police had only asked the MNS leaders to change the route, but they did not agree. In such a situation, they had to be stopped keeping in mind the crowd and traffic.
Fadnavis also targeted the opposition. He said, “I know the nature of Maharashtra. No one has a narrow mindset here. The Marathi community has a big heart. The public will answer anyone who does politics of this kind.”
