‘Hooliganism in name of Marathi not acceptable’

It's one thing to take pride in the Marathi language, but hooliganism or assaulting someone for not speaking it is unacceptable, said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday. Fadnavis was reacting to the assault on a shop owner in Mira Road, by the workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

- HT Correspondent

Playing the language card, as they have often done in the past, MNS workers slapped and punched the owner of a sweet mart on June 29, when he said he couldn't speak Marathi. They also threatened to “break and burn down’ his shop.

The incident prompted a massive protest on Mira Road, which hasa strong Gujarati and Marwari population. Shops were shut in many places on Thursday, and traders and shop owners marched in large numbers, condemning the MNS attack.