Pune: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Tuesday criticised the state government for "failing" to implement a Supreme Court directive on installing Marathi signboards on shop and other establishments, and claimed the ruling coalition pays just "lip service" to Marathi and Hindutva issues.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the state government talks about ideologies of Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray, but never follows them.
Replying to a question related to MNS agitation for Marathi signboards on shops and various other commercial establishments, Thackeray said despite a Supreme Court order on the matter, the state government has "failed" to implement it.
"Our government pays just lip service to Marathi and Hindutva issues. They talk about ideologies of Balasaheb Thackeray, but do not follow or act on them. Despite a court order on the Marathi signboard issue, they have been unable to implement it. When I asked them to remove loudspeakers atop mosques, that time also they did not do so," said the MNS leader.
The Supreme Court earlier gave shopkeepers and other commercial establishments in the state a two-month deadline to install signboards in the Marathi (Devnagri) script in bold letters. The deadline ended on November 25.
As per the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of employment and conditions of service) Rules, 2018, and the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Act, 2022, respectively, the signboards of establishments must be in Marathi.
