Language Dispute Escalates in Ambernath Branch of Nationalised Bank
Thane, April 3 — Tensions flared in Ambernath, a town near Mumbai, after members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) confronted a nationalised bank's manager for not communicating with customers in Marathi. The incident, which took place on Wednesday, has ignited a debate on linguistic preferences in public services.A video of the confrontation quickly circulated across social media platforms, showing MNS activists forcefully entering the bank, banging on tables, shoving a computer monitor, and demanding that the manager use Marathi—the official language of Maharashtra—when speaking with customers.
Despite the heated scene, the bank manager remained calm and responded that, as an officer from an All India Service, he was within his rights to use any officially recognised language in professional interactions. “One cannot be expected to learn the local language instantly; it takes time,” he is heard saying in the viral video.
MNS Confirms Involvement, Police Complaint Yet to Be Confirmed
The local unit of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena confirmed its workers were behind the protest at the bank. However, it remains unclear whether a formal police complaint has been registered regarding the incident.Ongoing Marathi Language Campaign by MNS
This confrontation is part of a broader campaign by the party to promote the Marathi language across the state. On Tuesday, MNS activists distributed letters at various banks across Thane district, urging that Marathi be established as the primary language for customer interactions. They also removed a non-Marathi banner displayed outside a bank in the city.In a related move, the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena, the party's student wing, continued its linguistic campaign. Led by General Secretary Sandeep Pachange, a delegation submitted a memorandum to the Education Officer at the Zilla Parishad in Thane. The memorandum demanded action against English-medium schools allegedly restricting students from speaking Marathi.
Raj Thackeray Reaffirms Marathi Mandate at Gudi Padwa Rally
The recent spate of activism follows a strong message delivered by MNS chief Raj Thackeray during his Gudi Padwa rally on March 30. He emphasized the need for Marathi to be made mandatory in official and public communications across Maharashtra.The incident has sparked discussions about language policies in multi-lingual India, especially in public-facing services, with supporters and critics voicing opinions on social media.
