Mumbai: Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers had a heated argument with non-Marathi speaking members of a housing society in suburban Ghatkopar after a Gujarati man allegedly called out their neighbour saying, “Marathis are dirty” and “they eat fish and meat”, prompting police to intervene.
A video of MNS workers issuing a warning to Gujarati residents on Wednesday, April 17, accusing them of ill-treating four Marathi-speaking families living there, has gone viral on social media.
“Anybody can live in Mumbai and work here, but we will not tolerate such things….how can others dictate what they should eat,” local MNS leader Raj Parte is heard saying.
In the video, Parte is also heard alleging that a housing society in a nearby locality prohibited Marathi-speaking families from cooking non-vegetarian food at home, and they were forced to order food from outside.
As the argument escalated, some residents alerted Ghatkopar Police, who intervened and sorted out the issue, said an eyewitness.
Police asked the residents of the society not to ill-treat their Marathi-speaking neighbours and warned of legal action.
No complaint has been filed at the police station over the incident, said a police official.
No reaction was available from the Gujarati resident who was accused of insulting Marathi-speaking families.
As elections to the Mumbai civic body are expected to be held this year, the MNS of late has been raising the demand of mandatory use of Marathi in public places including government offices and banks.
