MNS workers assault D-Mart employee in Versova over Marathi language dispute
Mumbai: A D-Mart employee in Versova, Andheri (West), was allegedly assaulted by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers after he refused to speak in Marathi. The incident, which took place on March 25, has reignited debates over language politics in Maharashtra.
A video of the altercation has gone viral, showing the employee telling a customer, “Nahi aata meko Marathi, main Hindi hi bolega, jo karna hai wo kar” (I don’t know Marathi, I will speak only in Hindi. Do what you want to do). The remarks reportedly drew the attention of MNS workers, who, led by their Versova unit president Sandesh Desai, visited the store and confronted the employee.
The video shows MNS workers slapping the employee and questioning him about when he arrived in Mumbai. They also demanded that he learn Marathi if he wished to continue working at the store. Following the confrontation, the employee issued an apology, according to PTI.
Similar incident reported in Mulund
A similar case was reported in January at a fast-food stall in Mulund, where MNS workers allegedly assaulted an employee over his treatment of a Marathi-speaking family. According to reports, the incident began when a woman and her mother, who had visited Mulund for bank-related work, stopped at the stall. The worker allegedly insulted them, saying, “If you can’t afford it, why did you come here to eat?” When the woman questioned him, he allegedly began shouting, and when her mother intervened, he pushed her aside.
Following this, the family approached the MNS public relations office, after which party workers confronted the employee at the stall. A viral video shows the workers grabbing him by the collar, slapping him repeatedly, and dragging him outside. Another employee who attempted to intervene was also slapped and warned to stay away. The worker initially denied the allegations but was later forced to apologise.
"मराठीसाठी पुन्हा मनसे"
— Sumit Bane (@SumitBaneMNS) March 25, 2025
काल तुम्ही जो राडा पाहिलात तो फक्त चमकोगिरीसाठी होता, आज मराठी माणसावर अन्याय व मराठी भाषेचा अपमान झाला तेव्हा धावून फक्त मनसे आली!
मराठीचा अपमान केला म्हणून डी-मार्टच्या मॅनेजरचे कान फोडल्याबद्दल @SandeshDesai15 आणि टीमचे अभिनंदन!#Mumbai pic.twitter.com/DwnGjJXuHc
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UAE to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr on Sunday, March 30; four-day holiday announced
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will celebrate Eid Al-Fitr on Sunday, March 30, 2025, after the Shawwal crescent was sighted earlier today, authorities have confirmed.
The sighting officially marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid festivities across the country.
