Mumbai: MNS protests alleged ill-treatment to Marathi speakers over non-veg food; Ashish Shelar issues warning

Raj Thackeray. File Pic/PTI

A confrontation broke out in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area after Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers accused members of a housing society of insulting Marathi-speaking residents over their choice to consume non-vegetarian food. The incident prompted police intervention, though no formal complaint was filed.

A video that surfaced on social media shows MNS workers, led by local leader Raj Parte, confronting Gujarati residents of the society. Parte alleged that four Marathi-speaking families were referred to as "dirty" for eating non-veg food - a claim that sparked outrage.

"Anybody can live and work in Mumbai, but we will not tolerate insults toward Marathi people for their food choices," Parte is heard saying in the video.

A resident of the society is also seen in the video denying that any such restrictions existed. As the verbal spat intensified, police from Ghatkopar Police Station arrived to defuse tensions.

According to an eyewitness cited by PTI, police warned the residents not to discriminate against the Marathi-speaking families and indicated that legal action would be taken if such behavior persisted.

No official complaint was lodged regarding the matter, a police official confirmed to PTI. The Gujarati resident accused of making the disparaging comments has not responded publicly.

In the same video, Parte also claimed that a housing society in a nearby locality had prohibited Marathi-speaking families from cooking non-veg food at home, forcing them to rely on outside food delivery services.

Ashish Shelar Responds

Reacting to the controversy, Mumbai BJP president and Maharashtra's IT and Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar condemned any form of disrespect towards the Marathi-speaking community.

"No one should commit the sin of looking down upon Marathi-speaking people, their language, or their culture," Shelar said.

"The Maharashtra government firmly stands for the dignity of Marathi and its culture. Any attempt to sow discord among linguistic communities will not be tolerated."

The incident comes amid a renewed push by the Raj Thackeray-led MNS, which has been vocal about linguistic and cultural identity issues in the run-up to the anticipated Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. The party has recently been advocating for the mandatory use of Marathi in public institutions, including banks and government offices.

Both the MNS and the undivided Shiv Sena have in the past alleged that Marathi-speaking individuals have been denied housing in certain areas due to their dietary preferences.

(With inputs from PTI)