The language dispute escalated into a violence in which a 20-year-old student was allegedly thrashed and beaten with hockey stick after asking others on a college WhatsApp group to speak in Marathi and threatening with Raj Thackeray’s name, NDTV reported.
Some of the students were posting messages in Hindi, police sources said. A student then replied, “Speak in Marathi, otherwise Raj Thackeray will come.”
Faizan Naik, along with other three students, reportedly assaulted the student, who made the Marathi call, following day at nearly 10:30 am.
FIR registered
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Vashi) Adinath Budhwant, a complaint has been filed.
“A First Information Report has been registered at the Vashi police station in connection with a dispute that arose between two groups. The dispute was a result of an argument between two individuals over comments on the group,” NDTV quoted Budhwant as saying.
He added, “The complainant was also reportedly beaten with a stick. An investigation is on and action will be taken against the accused.”
MNS Spokesperson Gajanan Kale and other MNS workers stepped in and met with police officials. They sought stringent action against Naik and group who attacked the student. Kale stated, “We have met the student and his family as well.”
Raj Thackeray is the chairperson of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), who warned shutting down of schools if Hindi is imposed from class 1. His workers have repeatedly attacked numerous people for what they called “insults” to Marathi. The attacks consist of one on a shopkeeper based in Thane, and latest, on an attendant in a public toilet in Nanded.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had stated the decision to rescind its two GRs issued earlier on making Hindi as a third language. Thackeray was the first among others to bring the issue initially, followed by others in the state. Later, other political parties came together with him and even backed his non-political march on July 5 against Hindi impositions.
“The state government cancelling its two GRs issued earlier for introducing Hindi as a third language cannot be called late wisdom, because it was withdrawn only because of the Marathi people’s resentment,” Thackeray had mentioned.