There has been a flare-up of tensions in Maharashtra on Tuesday when supporters of Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were arrested at a rally in Thane’s Mira Road, organized in response to a traders’ protest against an assault related to the ongoing Marathi language controversy. The incident, now referred to as ‘slapgate’, has caused political and linguistic disturbances throughout the state.
MNS Protest Halts Traffic in Thane District
MNS workers went on to protest in Mira Bhayandar, marching against what they perceived as biased treatment by the authorities, particularly in light of allowing traders to protest over the previous assault incident. Their procession caused massive traffic snarls, leading to a heavy police presence and roadblocks across the Thane district.
#WATCH | Maharashtra | Police detain MNS workers protesting to counter traders’ protest over language row, in Mira Bhayandar area pic.twitter.com/r9F1Rch10D
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2025
Dramatic scenes were witnessed as police quickly arrested MNS workers and packed them into vans. Protesters claimed that they had been denied permission to march and asked why a similar ban was not placed on the protest of traders.
“Anyone residing in Maharashtra should learn Marathi,” some detained workers insisted, threatening that those who fail to do so will “face consequences.”
CM Fadnavis: MNS Refused to Follow Permitted Route
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis justified the police action, claiming that the MNS workers had not taken the route of the protest as agreed upon.
In Maharashtra, a protest march can be taken out by anyone. Anyone is free to do so after getting police permission. There are traffic problems, risk of stampede, etc. The police commissioner informed me that they (MNS leaders) were requested to alter the route, but they refused. So police halted them,” Fadnavis stated.
In a veiled dig at MNS and its leadership, Fadnavis further said, “I believe I understand Maharashtra’s mood. Such experiments will not succeed here. A Marathi person has a big heart. He does not think small.”
What Triggers ‘Slapgate’?
The row started on Sunday evening when Babulal Chaudhary, a 48-year-old sweet shop owner in Mira Road, was slapped and threatened by seven MNS workers. The incident occurred after his staff member Bagharam used Hindi. The attackers asked them to use only Marathi. When Chaudhary retorted that all languages are used in Maharashtra, tensions ran high. A video of the attack went viral, and public outrage and the language issue started.
Earlier in the month, Fadnavis stated, “There is nothing wrong in taking pride in the Marathi language in Maharashtra. But if one involves himself in hooliganism because of the language, we will not allow it.”
He said, “The police have registered an FIR and acted on the incident, and if anyone generates such a language controversy in the future, legal action will be taken. We are proud of our Marathi, but injustice cannot be done with any language of India like this.”
He also condemned selective outrage: “Sometimes I am astonished that these people adopt English and rake up controversies over Hindi. What is this line of thinking, and what is this line of action? So, stern action will be taken against those who take the law into their hands.”
Political Shifts Add Fuel to Language Fire
This controversy over language has come amidst changing political alliances in Maharashtra. Interestingly, estranged cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray have come together in the background of the BJP’s growing criticism of MNS in the slapgate saga.
The incident also came after a political furore over the attempt of the state government to include Hindi in the curriculum of primary schools, which was subsequently withdrawn under compulsion.
