MNS, Sena (UBT) defy cops to stage protest march at Mira Rd

Joint agitation was a reaction to a protest by local traders after MNS workers slapped a shop owner for not speaking in Marathi

- Yogesh Naik

Tensions escalated in Mira Road on Tuesday with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) leading a massive protest march on the Marathi language controversy - defying prohibitory orders and ignoring preventive arrests.

The rally, which saw at least a thousand political party workers marching from Balaji Circle to Mira Road railway station, from 11:00am to around 1:00pm, was a reaction to the protest by local traders and shopkeepers, after a shop owner was thrashed by MNS workers on June 30, for not speaking Marathi.

Police had denied permission for Tuesday's march as it was to start at Balaji Circle, where Jodhpur Sweets is located. The shop is owned by Babulal Chowdhury, who had been attacked on June 30, and the police wanted to avoid a potential flareup.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said permission for the march had been denied as the protesters were not willing to change their route. “Police had specific intelligence about protesters conspiring to create trouble. Maharashtra has a democratic system, which doesn’t deny permission for a morcha. But the organisers had asked for a specific location for the rally, which was not convenient from the law and order point of view,” he said.