Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers on Saturday thrashed an Airtel employee in Pune's Wakadewadi over his mandatory Hindi-speaking diktat in the office.
Reportedly, Airtel employees were asked to mandatorily speak Hindi in the office. If they spoke in Marathi, they would be fired from their job, they were told. Maharashtrian employees were not given holidays on festivals and their salaries were also not paid for the last three months. The employees then complained about their situation to the MNS.
Shahbaz Ahmed, who is reportedly the team leader of these employees, understood that they have complained to MNS. He then dared them to bring any "sena" they wanted but Hindi would be mandatory in the office and those who spoke Marathi would be fired.
The MNS workers then barged into the Airtel office in Wakadewadi and thrashed Ahmed. MNS leader Ashish Sable Patil also warned that they would demolish Airtel offices at Swargate, Wakadewadi and Kharadi if the employees aren't paid their pending salaries or if any such injustice is done on those speaking Marathi and if there is any such diktat of not speaking Marathi.
The company is yet to respond to the incident.
Mumbra incident
This incident comes only a day after a young man demanding the use of Marathi was forced to apologise by a mob, sparking a major controversy in Mumbra.
The incident took place on Thursday when a Marathi youth, Vishal Gawli, asked a non-local fruit vendor to converse in Marathi. In retaliation, the vendor and a crowd compelled him to apologise in Hindi and hold his ears. The MNS has expressed outrage over this incident, while the Mumbra police, instead of supporting the Marathi youth, filed a non-cognisable offence against him based on the complaints of the fruit vendors.
Speaking to Marathi news channels, MNS leader Avinash Jadhav said, “This is the fourth incident in the Thane district alone, following similar cases in Kalyan, Thane and Nalasopara. If a boy asking someone to speak in Marathi has to apologise in Maharashtra, it is deeply unfortunate. What is the point of granting Marathi the status of a classical language if no laws are in place to protect its dignity?”
Jadhav stressed the need for laws alongside recognition of Marathi as a classical language. “If Marathi is not respected in Maharashtra, then what use is this status? There must be a law stating that derogatory remarks or refusal to acknowledge Marathi will result in legal action. I will approach the DCP about this incident. It is appalling that those opposing the youth had the audacity to shout slogans at the police station and demand action against him,” he stated. He also demanded immediate action against the mob, highlighting that the youth was threatened and humiliated for defending Marathi.
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