Mumbai: A video showing a passenger demanding a woman staff member at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai to speak in Marathi is going viral on social media, reigniting the language row debate.
The video of their conversation was posted on the official handle of Dahisarkarofficial on Instagram. According to the video, the argument took place inside the airport at the security check. In the video, the passenger repeatedly asked the staff member, "Ka Marathi nahi bolat ahe?" (Why aren't you speaking Marathi?), to which she replied, "Aap Airport mein ho" (You are at the airport).
On this, the passenger then questioned and said that the airport is based in Maharashtra, and you must speak in Marathi. He even demanded to see and name on her ID and asked, "Kuthun alis tu (Where are you from)" However, the woman passenger denied his demand and said she won't speak in Marathi.
Seeing the heated exchange between them, other staff members also approached them and requested the passenger, "Sir, Jau dena (Let it go, Sir)" and even tried to calm the woman staff.
However, the passenger kept repeating and said, "Marathi Bolaycha, kadla ka. Nahi bolaycha to ithe kaam nahi karaycha (If you don't want to speak Marathi, you shouldn't work here in Maharashtra)," however, the woman did not pay heed to his demands and said, "Nahi bolungi Marathi."
Social Media Reaction
Users on social media stressed the importance of respecting local languages, while others defended freedom of speech. Several also added that, though respecting local language is important, learning it also takes time and imposing on someone is utterly incorrect.
One user remarked, "Marathi is not equal to Maharashtra"
Another defended the woman staff member and said, "India has freedom of speech. Also, Hindi is the official language of India."
One user commented, "Shivaji na kabhi aurat ko force nahi kiya aur ya log kr raha hai waha."
"Respectful and commendable to learn a language of a state you reside in, just remember.... Languages cannot be learned in a day. It's not a software update that humans can install. You need to give people time to learn languages," a user noted
Another sarcastically questioned, "Will a Foreigner coming to Mumbai also have to speak Marathi?
Calling it ridiculous, a user added, "Is he crazy? Who has given him the right to impose his thoughts on others?"
A user defending the passenger said, "Learn Marathi or leave Maharashtra"
