In yet another shocking case of language vigilantism, former MP Rajan Vichare from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) had summoned traders to his office, where they were allegedly beaten by his supporters and forced to apologise for not speaking Marathi.
In a video posted on X, Vichare and his subordinates repeatedly demanded the traders converse only in Marathi, raising serious concerns about the safety of the business community.
This disturbing incident comes close on the heels of the Mira-Bhayandar episode, where Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers brutally attacked a restaurant owner for not using Marathi while interacting with customers. The Mira-Bhayandar business community responded swiftly, shutting down several shops in protest against the rising threats and violence in the name of language.
On July 3 morning, following the MNS assault, shop shutters across Mira-Bhayandar remained down, with images of deserted streets and closed markets going viral on social media. Traders have voiced deep anxiety about their safety, saying such incidents are hurting communal harmony and business sentiment.
