04 July,2025 07:32 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
Rajan Vichare. Pic/X
Two persons were made to apologise to a man in the presence of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Rajan Vichare for allegedly assaulting him, and one of them was slapped by the "victim", according to a viral video.
"Speak in Marathi since you have hit a Marathi person," a voice is heard telling one of the men while he attempts to speak to Vichare, a former MP from Thane, reported PTI.
The video purportedly shows Vichare seated in his office, surrounded by supporters, along with the two men and a man in a red shirt.
The two bow individuals bow to touch the feet of the man and apologise to him, reported PTI. The man even slaps one of them in the widely circulated video.
The man was allegedly assaulted following a dispute over a mobile recharge that escalated into a quarrel outside Thane Railway Station, police said on Wednesday.
A video of the altercation, which occurred on Tuesday night, also went viral on social media.
The two men were then summoned to Vichare's office on Thursday in connection with the assault.
Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Aaditya Thackeray said that it was not a language issue.
"Regarding the viral video involving Rajan Vichare ji, I called and spoke to him. He clarified that the dispute was not between Marathi and non-Marathi individuals. It started when an office-bearer was not allowed to charge his phone, which led to an argument and eventually a physical altercation. It's important to note that this issue is not about anyone's regional identity," said Thackeray.
The incident comes amid a spate of episodes involving Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers allegedly targeting individuals for not speaking Marathi.
In a recent development, seven members of the Raj Thackeray-led MNS were detained for allegedly assaulting a food stall owner for not speaking Marathi, an official said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said while there was nothing wrong in expecting people to speak Marathi in the state, it was unacceptable to resort to violence for its insistence and that one cannot be "obstinate" about it.
He also warned of legal action against those taking the law into their hands over the issue.
(With PTI inputs)
