Mumbai: The ongoing row over Hindi language further escalated in Maharashtra, as the Raj Thackeray-led MNS and other organisations took out a morcha in Mira Bhayandar near Mumbai despite the police denying permission for the march. The march received a huge response from Marathi people, with workers from both MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) participating in it in large numbers.

Tensions flared in Mira-Bhayandar after police denied permission for the protest march organised by the organisation Marathi Ekikaran Samiti (MES) in response to the rally held by local traders a few days back to protest the assault on one of the shopkeepers for not speaking in Marathi. However, the police denied permission for the march, citing potential law and order issues and detained several MNS leaders, including Thane district chief Avinash Jadhav, who had supported the march.

Despite this, the MNS workers decided to go ahead with their protest and gathered in large numbers at Mira Bhayandar. A large police presence was seen to maintain the law and order situation.

Maharashtra minister Pratap Baburao Sarnaik from the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) slammed the police for not giving permission to the march. He also announced that he will join the protests and dared the police to take action against him. “I am a Marathi first and then a MLA and a minister. I will firmly stand with the Marathi people of Mira Bhayandar,” he said. However, after reaching the march, he was heckled by the MNS party workers forcing him to leave the spot.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed permission was granted for a rally in Mira Bhayander in which MNS leaders had planned to participate but the party insisted on taking out a protest march on a specific route which posed law and order challenges.

“There is no opposition to holding a rally. It was difficult to give permission for the sought route of protest march. Police requested them to change the route, but the organisers were adamant on a particular route. It could cause traffic or a stampede-like situation. In such a situation, police try to convince and offer an alternate route. We are in a democracy, everyone has the right to hold rallies,” said Mr. Fadnavis.

MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande claimed the government was trying to suppress their voice and that the police had no intention of allowing their rally.

The MNS was asked by police to shift the rally venue to Ghodbunder Road while the incident happened in Mira Road area last week, claimed Mr Deshpande. “Who holds a protest on Ghodbunder Road for something that happened in Mira Road? It clearly shows that the police had no intention of allowing our rally in the first place,” he added.