Mumbai: The language row has once again resurfaced in Mumbai. An incident has come to light from the Kandivali area, where a man was allegedly thrashed by MNS workers for abusing Raj Thackeray over speaking in Marathi.
A video has been posted on X by a user, in which a man is asked whether he can speak Marathi, to which he replies that he can. He is then asked what he would say in Marathi if MNS chief Raj Thackeray were to visit his garage. In response, the man allegedly uses a cuss word, which is beeped out in the video. He then says, “Wo sikhayega toh main sikhega, nahi sikhayega toh nahi sikhega,” which roughly translates to, “If he teaches me, I will learn; if he does not, I will not.” He then says that he does not know how to speak Marathi before using a cuss word again.The video further shows three men thrashing and verbally abusing him.
The identity of the man and the authenticity of the video have not been confirmed. FPJ does not vouch for the authenticity of the viral video.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Transport Department has begun a statewide inspection and awareness drive from May 1 to promote basic Marathi among auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, while also tightening enforcement of Motor Vehicle (MV) rules.
The first 100 days till August 15 will focus on awareness and training, with no punitive action solely for not knowing Marathi, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said.
