MNS’s Protest On Marathi Gets Huge Response

Mumbai: The ongoing row over Hindi language further escalated in Maharashtra, as the Raj Thackeray-led MNS and other organisations took out a morcha in Mira Bhayandar near Mumbai despite the police denying permission for the march. The march received a huge response from Marathi people, with workers from both MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) participating in it in large numbers. 

Tensions flared in Mira-Bhayandar after police denied permission for the protest march organised by the organisation Marathi Ekikaran Samiti (MES) in response to the rally held by local traders a few days back to protest the assault on one of the shopkeepers for not speaking in Marathi. However, the police denied permission for the march, citing potential law and order issues and detained several MNS leaders,



including Thane district chief Avinash Jadhav, who had supported the march.

Despite this, the MNS workers decided to go ahead with their protest and gathered in large numbers at Mira Bhayandar. A large police presence was seen to maintain the law and order situation. Maharashtra minister Pratap Baburao Sarnaik from the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) slammed the police for not giving permission to the march. He also announced that he will join the protests and dared the police to take action against him. “I am a Marathi first and then a MLA and a minister. I will firmly stand with the Marathi people of Mira Bhayandar,” he said. However, after reaching the march, he was heckled by the MNS party workers forcing him to leave the spot.