A fresh controversy has erupted in Navi Mumbai after a signboard at a BJP public relations office in Seawoods, allegedly reinstated in Gujarati, drew sharp criticism from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
The office, located in Shelter Arcade Society, Sector-42, is reportedly operated by Gujarat BJP MLA Virendrasinh Bahadursingh Jadeja.
According to MNS, the original signboard was entirely in Gujarati. Following backlash from MNS workers, local BJP leaders, and Marathi-speaking residents, the board was changed to Marathi on July 17.
However, it has now allegedly been switched back to Gujarati, with only a token mention of Marathi in very small print something the MNS calls - a direct insult to the Marathi language and identity.
“This is not just a violation of Maharashtra's language laws, it’s a provocation aimed at marginalizing the Marathi community,” said MNS Navi Mumbai City Secretary Sachin Kadam. He also accused the MLA of attempting to disturb communal harmony in the region.
In response, MNS held a protest march to the NRI Coastal Police Station opposite the Navi Mumbai Municipal Headquarters. The delegates visited the station on Monday, July 21. The party demanded that a case be registered and the controversial Gujarati signboard be taken down.
A BJP party worker is informed to have publicly apologized to the Marathi community and promised that a new Marathi signboard would be installed within a few hours.
Issuing a stern warning, MNS City Secretary Sachin Kadam stated, “If the Gujarati signboard is reinstated again, MNS will respond in true MNS style.” He also appealed to all non-Marathi residents to respect the local language by speaking Marathi and incorporating it into daily life.
