MNS Cracks Down on Gujarati Signboards Along Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway
MNS Cracks Down on Gujarati Signboards Along Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway
Protests erupt in Thane and Palghar districts; hotels told to prioritise Marathi or face action
The controversy over language on public signboards intensified on Thursday as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers launched a crackdown on establishments displaying Gujarati signage along the Mumbai–Ahmedabad National Highway. The protests unfolded across Thane and Palghar districts, with MNS workers forcibly taking down Gujarati boards from several Gujarati and Kathiyawadi hotels, demanding that Marathi be given prominence.
“Is this Palghar in Maharashtra or Gujarat?” protesters shouted as they removed and damaged signboards prioritising Gujarati or other languages over Marathi. The drive was led by local MNS leaders including Palghar taluka president Sandeep Kini, taluka secretary Nikhil Gaikwad, deputy taluka president Harshal Patil, and city president Nishant Dhotre. Areas affected included Haloli village, Manor, Mastan Naka, Varai Phata, and other locations along the highway.
Some hotel owners who acknowledged the issue and promised to put up Marathi signboards were spared further action. However, others faced direct warnings and vandalism. “We have told them to change it if you want to do business in Maharashtra,” said Avinash Jadhav, head of MNS’s Palghar and Thane districts.
MNS worker Prashant Khambe, from Vasai, reiterated the party’s firm stance on Marathi identity, stating, “Party chief Raj Thackeray has made it clear—there will be no compromise on Marathi and Maharashtra.”
The incident follows a similar protest earlier in the week, when MNS and other political activists removed a Gujarati signboard from the office of Gujarat BJP MLA Virendrasinh Bahadursinh Jadeja in Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. The board outside the Rapar MLA’s public relations office was taken down in the presence of police following an ultimatum issued by MNS last week.
A viral video currently circulating on social media shows dozens of establishments from Palghar to Vasai displaying signboards primarily in Gujarati, Hindi, or English, with Marathi either missing or printed in small text. This has fueled further backlash, with MNS accusing businesses of disregarding the state’s linguistic identity.
The Labour Department’s recent inspection found that out of 233 establishments in Palghar district, 86 were not complying with signage rules mandating the use of Marathi in Devanagari script. So far, 17 establishments have faced penal action, with more under review.
“All establishments in Maharashtra must prominently display their names in Marathi Devanagari script. In Palghar district, action is being taken under relevant laws against those who violate this rule,” said Vijay Chaudhary, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Palghar.
Despite legal requirements, critics say local authorities have been lax in enforcement, allowing widespread violations to persist and sparking tensions over regional identity.
