A video of a woman being slapped by a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) office-bearer after allegedly making derogatory remarks about the Marathi language has gone viral. The incident reportedly occurred on the night of October 10 at Kalwa Railway Station in Thane District, news agency PTI reported.
In the video, the woman can be seen apologising for her comments during an argument with the husband of the MNS member. Moments later, the MNS office-bearer slaps the woman and issues a warning.
According to police, no formal complaint has been filed regarding the incident, reported PTI. Senior Inspector Archana Dusane of the Thane Government Railway Police (GRP) stated that the matter has been settled between the individuals involved.
“A man and a woman were involved in the incident that took place on Friday night. The man happened to be the husband of an MNS office-bearer. After the woman, who had abused and uttered objectionable words about Marathi and Marathi manoos, apologised, both parties settled the matter there itself,” said Dusane.
The duo later approached GRP and informed that they had reached an agreement, and then left the premises, PTI reported, quoting the officer.
Senior Inspector Ashok Uttekar of Kalwa Police Station also informed that they have not received any complaint regarding the incident.
In September, a hawker was allegedly beaten up by the workers of the Raj Thackeray-led MNS in the Badlapur town of Thane district on Monday for allegedly making objectionable remarks about Marathi language and its speakers.
A video of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed MNS workers reportedly shouting slogans condemning the hawker, thrashing him, and then making him apologise in public.
Police were probing the incident at the time, but no complaint had been received from the hawker.
In a similar incident in July, a shopkeeper had been assaulted for refusing to speak Marathi in the Mira Bhayandar area near Mumbai.
The incident had led to tensions in the area as hundreds joined a march led by MNS and other pro-Marathi organisations to defend Marathi ‘asmita’ (pride). The shopkeepers had also carried out a protest against the assault.
(With PTI inputs)
