Pune: MNS Workers Attack Airtel Manager Over Language Policy and Unpaid Salaries for Marathi Employees
Pune: MNS Workers Attack Airtel Manager Over Language Policy and Unpaid Salaries for Marathi Employees
In a dramatic turn of events, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers on Saturday assaulted an Airtel employee at the company’s Wakadewadi office in Pune over allegations of enforcing a mandatory Hindi-speaking policy. The incident has sparked significant public outrage.
According to reports, employees at the Airtel office were allegedly instructed to speak only in Hindi, with threats of termination if they used Marathi. Additionally, employees claimed they were denied festival holidays and had not received salaries for the past three months. Frustrated, they sought assistance from the MNS.
Shahbaz Ahmed, a team leader at the office, reportedly confronted the employees, challenging them to involve any political group but insisting Hindi would remain mandatory. This led to MNS workers storming the office and assaulting Ahmed. MNS leader Ashish Sable Patil issued a stern warning, threatening to demolish Airtel offices in Swargate, Wakadewadi, and Kharadi if pending salaries were not cleared and if injustices against Marathi-speaking employees continued.
Mumbra Incident Adds Fuel to Language Debate
This incident follows a controversy in Mumbra, where a Marathi youth, Vishal Gawli, was forced to apologize by a mob for asking a fruit vendor to converse in Marathi. Gawli was compelled to apologize in Hindi and was publicly humiliated.
MNS leader Avinash Jadhav expressed outrage, highlighting the growing disrespect for Marathi in Maharashtra. “If asking for Marathi’s respect leads to humiliation, what is the point of its status as a classical language? There must be strict laws to protect Marathi’s dignity,” he stated. Jadhav urged authorities to take immediate action against the mob and implement legal measures to safeguard the language.
Both incidents have intensified the debate over the linguistic rights of Marathi speakers in the state, prompting calls for stronger protections.
