‘Speak Marathi Or Get Out’: Mumbai Local Train Argument Fuels Language Politics Debate

A heated altercation inside a packed ladies’ coach of a Mumbai local train has gone viral after it escalated into a language-based confrontation. The incident took place on Friday evening on the Central line and is now under investigation by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP).

In the widely circulated video, six to seven women can be seen arguing over a seat, a common occurrence on Mumbai’s local trains. But this dispute took an aggressive turn when one woman lashed out at another for not speaking in Marathi.

“If you want to stay in our Mumbai, speak Marathi, otherwise get out,” the woman was heard saying. The comment triggered a larger argument among the passengers, drawing attention to the ongoing language tension in Maharashtra.

Train Argument Reflects Rising Marathi vs Migrant Tension

The event is a reflection of the broader and deepening language conflict in the state. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray has undertaken a campaign against the use of languages other than Marathi in public. This train dispute adds fuel to an already sensitive issue.

Recently, MNS workers assaulted a shopkeeper in Vikhroli over a WhatsApp status that was considered offensive to Marathi speakers. In the video of that incident, the shopkeeper is seen being physically attacked and forced to publicly apologise while being threatened.

Pattern of Violence Emerges in Maharashtra

The aggression hasn’t been limited to words. On July 1, MNS workers in Thane reportedly slapped a street food vendor who refused to speak Marathi. In Palghar, a migrant auto-rickshaw driver was publicly beaten by MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) supporters for similar reasons.

In another alarming event, businessman Sushil Kedia’s office in Mumbai was vandalised after he openly declared that he would not learn Marathi. Security footage captured five to six men throwing bricks and damaging property.They stopped only after they emptied the bags of projectiles. Afterwards, Kedia gave a public apology. 

Railway Police Investigate Train Fight; Concerns Recently Articulated Over Hate Speech, Intimidation 

Authorities are now investigating the train fight. Civil society voices are concerned about increasing intolerance and language-based hatred in Mumbai, which prides itself on its cosmopolitan character. The continuing acts of violence and pressure to respond linguistically is creating anxiety among migrants about violence and freedom of speech in Maharashtra. 

As the video spreads, politicians and the public react. Questions have been raised about whether the current political discourse in the state has a role in promoting language and identity-based hatred and division.

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