Tensions Flare in Mumbai’s Vikhroli as Marwari Shopkeeper’s WhatsApp Status Sparks Outrage; Apologizes Publicly After MNS Action
Tensions Flare in Mumbai's Vikhroli as Marwari Shopkeeper's WhatsApp Status Sparks Outrage; Apologizes Publicly After MNS Action
In yet another reminder of the sensitive socio-cultural fabric of Maharashtra, a shopkeeper in Mumbai’s Vikhroli area found himself at the centre of a storm after sharing a WhatsApp status that was perceived as deeply offensive by the local Marathi community. The incident, which unfolded in Tagore Nagar on Wednesday, drew a sharp response from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers who not only confronted the businessman at his store but also resorted to physical assault and public shaming.
According to reports, the shopkeeper—belonging to the Marwari community—posted a controversial WhatsApp status that read: “See the power of a Rajasthani. Beat the Marathi in Maharashtra itself. We are Marwaris, nobody can stand before us.” The statement didn’t sit well with MNS activists, who arrived at his shop in protest, roughed him up, and compelled him to issue a public apology on video.
तुम्ही इथे येऊन अशी भाषा वापराल तर तुम्हाला त्याच भाषेत उत्तर मिळणार. तुला कोलला ! pic.twitter.com/xSGFk201Ts
— MNS Videos (@mnsvideos) July 16, 2025
A now-viral video circulating on social media shows the visibly shaken shopkeeper with folded hands, pleading for forgiveness from the Marathi community. In the footage, he assures onlookers that he regrets his words and will never repeat such behavior. As part of the public reprimand, he was reportedly paraded through the local market before being taken to the police station for further action.
Following the incident, MNS division chief Vishwajit Dholam strongly condemned the shopkeeper’s remarks and urged locals to boycott businesses owned by those who “insult the pride and identity of Marathi people.” A formal police complaint has since been registered in connection with the episode.
In a separate but similarly charged incident in Vasai near Mumbai, an autorickshaw driver from Uttar Pradesh found himself in hot water after allegedly misbehaving with a woman and attacking her brother, Bhavesh Padoliya. However, what truly ignited public fury was a viral clip in which the driver—identified as Raju Patwa—declared, “I will speak Hindi, I will speak Bhojpuri, but I will not speak Marathi.”
The comment drew sharp backlash from members of both the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS. A group of political activists, including women, confronted Patwa near Virar railway station on July 12. He was publicly slapped multiple times and forced to apologize on camera to the woman, her brother, and the people of Maharashtra. The video shows Patwa with folded hands, expressing remorse for his language and behavior.
Following this, the Virar Police registered a case against the individuals involved in the assault under various legal sections, including those related to unlawful assembly, disturbing public order, and rioting.
