Maharashtra: 7 booked after shopkeeper alleges he was assaulted by MNS members for speaking in Hindi

Seven unidentified persons, believed to be members of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, have been booked for assaulting a shopkeeper in Thane district’s Mira Road for not speaking in Marathi, The Times of India reported on Wednesday.

Babulal Khimji Chaudhary (48) has stated in his police complaint that members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena came to his sweet shop at 10.30 am on Sunday. When a worker in the shop spoke to them in Hindi, they got angry.

They allegedly abused the worker for not speaking Marathi, the newspaper reported.

“Two of the men came to me and again said that I need to know Marathi if I have to work and then assaulted me after an argument,” the newspaper quoted Chaudhary as saying.

He added that the assailants made a video of the incident and uploaded it on social media.

“I had told them that my workers are from other states and not fluent in Marathi,” he said. “But, they insisted that all should know Marathi in Maharashtra.”

A first information report has been filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

An unidentified Maharashtra Navnirman Sena member was quoted as saying by The Times of India that an “argument” had taken place at the shop because the owner was “arrogant”.

“Our party workers were celebrating the withdrawal of the GR [government...

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