Mumbai: The Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA), which has thousands of members spread across the Mumbai metropolitan region, has expressed its deep concern over the increasing number of attacks on shopkeepers over Marathi language issues.
Federation chairman Viren Shah said of late ``we have seen several disturbing videos circulating on social media and in the news, showing members of a political (parties) physically assaulting shopkeepers and staff under the pretext of language issue."
On Wednesday, several members of Shiv Sena (UBT) assaulted shopkeepers who were summoned to the office of party M.P. Rajan Vichare. The assaults are apparently being orchestrated in the run up to the civic elections which are due a few months away. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS are trying to play the Marathi card with an eye on the polls. Most of the shopkeepers are non-Marathis.
``Anyone living and doing business in Maharashtra, specially in Mumbai, should learn and respect Marathi language. It’s a matter of cultural respect and integration. However, this does not give any political party or individual the right to slap, abuse, or threaten shopkeepers and their staff. No one is above law. Taking the law into one’s own hands is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms," Shah observed. In parts of Mira-Bhayander shopkeepers downed shutters till evening in protest.
Shah also questioned the silence of the state government in this regard. He also expressed the federation's disappointment with the police with regard to the series of assaults.
The Federation has urged the state government to immediately take strict action against all those involved in such assaults; send a clear message that violence in the name of language or politics will not be tolerated and protect shopkeepers and their staff, who are being unfairly targeted for political gain.
