At a charged rally in Mira-Bhayandar, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray escalated his long-standing Marathi pride campaign, issuing a stark warning to non-Marathi speakers: if you don’t understand Marathi, you might get “a slap below the ear.” His remarks follow a recent incident where MNS workers assaulted a shopkeeper for refusing to speak Marathi — an attack that drew sharp public backlash and sparked a traders’ protest.
Addressing the controversy directly, Raj Thackeray defended the violence, blaming the victim’s "attitude" and taunting those who supported the protest:
“Whatever happened to that person was because of his attitude... If someone closes their shop under pressure, understand this—how long will you keep your shop shut? If we stop buying, then what?”
He further added a warning to outsiders:
“You have all come here, stay quiet and do your work. But if you fool around here, a slap is guaranteed.”
His rhetoric intensified at a moment of heightened debate over language policy in Maharashtra. The state recently withdrew a contentious order mandating Hindi in Classes 1 to 5, after opposition from multiple parties including the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT), led by his cousin Uddhav Thackeray.
Raj Thackeray took a swipe at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying:
“If Hindi is made compulsory in schools, we will shut them down.”
Despite the aggressive tone, Raj tried to soften his stance slightly, claiming:
“I am not opposed to any language... but I will not tolerate compulsion.”
Political and Social Implications
Raj Thackeray’s comments have sparked fresh concerns over linguistic chauvinism and xenophobia in Mumbai’s diverse socio-economic fabric. While MNS has long positioned itself as a guardian of Marathi identity and rights, critics argue that the party often crosses into intimidation and vigilantism, especially targeting migrants from North India.
With elections looming and political turf wars heating up, the MNS leader’s fiery language suggests a return to hardline identity politics — a strategy that has both galvanized his core support and alienated broader sections of the electorate.
Opposition leaders and civil society groups are expected to issue responses soon, as calls grow for state authorities to rein in political violence and uphold linguistic harmony in Maharashtra.
