After hawkers, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has trained guns on banks, asking them to conduct transactions in Marathi. MNS functionaries on Monday met officials of banks including the Punjab National Bank, Union Bank and Allahabad Bank in Mumbai and handed over letters to the bank managements, asking them to ensure that transactions are conducted in Marathi as well.

"After the recent anti-hawkers stir, Raj Thackeray has appealed for conducting bank transactions in Marathi, for the sake of sons of soil and the common man," the letter said. "You are aware that Marathi is the 'rajbhasha' (state language) of Maharashtra. That is why, our party is firm that
all formal transactions in the state should be carried out in Marathi," the letter said.

The letters given to various banks are signed by local MNS functionaries, MNS youth wing vice president Akhil Chitre said. "You (banks) can conduct transactions in other languages also. But we are firm that transactions be also done in Marathi," the letter said, asking banks to "respect Marathi".
Similar letters will be soon issued to foreign banks operating in Maharashtra, Chitre said. Addressing a rally in Thane on Saturday, Thackeray had
criticised banks for ignoring the Marathi language despite guidelines from the Reserve Bank of India on using the local language.