New Delhi : A migrant auto-rickshaw driver was brutally beaten in broad daylight in Maharashtra’s Palghar district by supporters of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
The driver was caught on camera threatening a local youth near Virar station and refusing to speak in Marathi. In the video, the driver can be heard forcing the youth to speak in Hindi and Bhojpuri instead. In the video, the rickshaw driver can be seem screaming at a man, saying “main Hindi bolunga, main bhojpuri bolunga. Mujhe Marathi nahi aata hai (I will speak in Hindi, I will speak in English. I don’t know Marathi)”.
Auto driver is beaten by Shivsena and MNS workers for disrespecting the Marathi language…#MarathiNews #marathilanguagerow #Virar#palghar #MBVVpolice @Dev_Fadnavis @DGPMaharashtra pic.twitter.com/mxkPYUES4L
— Indrajeet chaubey (@indrajeet8080) July 13, 2025
The footage sparked outrage among local political outfits, with Shiv Sena and MNS workers tracking down the driver. He was assaulted on camera in full public view near the same station. On Saturday, a group of Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS workers — including women — slapped and thrashed the migrant driver on a busy road.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Virar city chief Uday Jadhav, who was present during the assault, defended the action. “Anyone who insults the Marathi language, Maharashtra or the Marathi manoos will be given a reply in the true Shiv Sena style. We made him apologise to those he offended,” Jadhav said.
Despite the video circulating widely on social media, police said on Sunday that no formal complaint has been received yet and no case has been registered so far. We have seen the viral clip and are verifying the facts. But, no one has come forward to file a complaint, news agency quoted a senior official as saying.
Tensions over the language issue have spilled over to neighbouring districts too. On July 1, workers of Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) allegedly slapped a food stall owner in Bhayander, Thane district, for not speaking in Marathi.
Read Also : Over 20,000 Join 53rd Jagannath Rath Yatra In Canada, Celebrating Indian Culture Abroad