Mumbai: Youth Forced To Apologise By Mob In Mumbra After Spat With Fruit Vendor Over Speaking 'Only In Marathi'; MNS Responds To Viral Video

Thane: In a recent controversial incident from Mumbra in Thane district just few kilometres away from Mumbai, where a Marathi youth was forced to apologise by holding his ears after a dispute over the use of the Marathi language. The conflict began on Thursday when the youth asked a vegetable vendor to speak in Marathi.

Youth Threatened To Shut Down Mumbra Over Language Dispute

However, the vendor adamantly stated, "I don’t know Marathi and I will only speak in Hindi." The youth responded by saying, "If you want to live in Maharashtra, you must know Marathi. I will shut down Mumbra." This statement escalated the situation, leading to a large crowd gathering in support of the vendor.

The crowd, consisting of non-Marathi locals, surrounded the youth and retorted, "We don’t know Marathi and we won’t speak it. Do whatever you want." The situation worsened, and the mob compelled the youth to apologise publicly by holding his ears.

Reports suggest that the youth, identified as Vishal Gawli, was verbally abused and taken to the Mumbra police station by the mob, which repeatedly questioned why he was creating a Marathi-Hindi dispute.

Police Filed NC Aginst The Youth After Ruckus

A non-cognizable offence for breach of peace was registered against him, as reported by PTI. He was later allowed to leave, according to an official. The youth’s mother informed reporters that her son’s mental condition was unstable and pleaded with the police not to take any action against him.

20 Others Booked For Ruckus At Police Station

Meanwhile, around 20 individuals, who created a commotion at the police station demanding action against the man involved in a language-related dispute with a fruit vendor, were booked by the police in Thane, an official told PTI on Friday.

The altercation began when Vishal, who had been sent to buy fruits by his mother, asked the vendor to speak in Marathi. The vendor's refusal and declaration to only speak in Hindi angered him, prompting his controversial statement. Other vendors and locals quickly rallied around the vendor, accusing Vishal of disrupting the peace in Mumbra. “Mumbra is peaceful, let it remain that way,” the locals insisted, escalating the verbal confrontation.

MNS Responds To Viral Video

Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) party's Thane Chief Avinash Jadhav, however reacted in a different manner on the viral video. Jadhav slammed the incident saying "speaking Marathi in Maharashtra is a crime now." He then warned that such incidents will take place every now and then and the Marathi people will be left watching.

Jadhav shared the video on Instagram saying, "Speaking Marathi has become a crime, we have to apologise for Marathi, this is in our Maharashtra! This will happen now in every square in Mumbai and Maharashtra, and Marathi people will just watch…. Maharashtra wanted Raj Saheb Thackeray for this... now enjoy the fruits of karma!"