‘Hindi Bolunga’ Video: Shiv Sena, MNS Supporters Thrash Rickshaw Driver In Palghar

An auto-rickshaw driver in Maharashtra's Palghar district was publicly assaulted near Virar railway station by supporters of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). The attack followed a viral video in which the driver, a migrant, had asserted, "Main Hindi bolunga" ("I will speak in Hindi") during an earlier confrontation.

The incident stems from a heated exchange days earlier between Bhavesh Padolia, a migrant from Uttar Pradesh, and the rickshaw driver. The video of their interaction, recorded outside Virar station, showed Padolia asking the driver why he wasn't speaking Marathi. The driver responded by insisting on speaking in Hindi and Bhojpuri. The video quickly went viral, triggering backlash from pro-Marathi groups.

On Saturday, members of Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS confronted the driver at the same location. Videos from the scene show him being repeatedly slapped by men and women in the crowd. He was then forced to apologise on camera to Padolia, his sister, and the people of Maharashtra for allegedly insulting the Marathi language and culture.

Uday Jadhav, the Virar city head of Shiv Sena (UBT), who was present during the incident, defended the action. "If anyone dares to insult the Marathi language or the Marathi people, they will be given a response in true Shiv Sena style," Jadhav said. "We made him apologise to the people he offended."

No Police Action Yet
Despite the violent nature of the assault being recorded and circulated online, the Palghar police have not yet registered a formal complaint. A police official told news agency PTI, "We have seen the video and are verifying the facts, but no official complaint has been filed by either party."

Broader Context: Rising Language Tensions
This incident is the latest in a growing series of confrontations driven by language politics in Maharashtra. On July 1, MNS workers in Thane attacked a street vendor for refusing to converse in Marathi. That episode resulted in the arrest of seven MNS members after public outcry.

In reaction to the Thane incident, traders in Bhayander staged counter-protests, accusing MNS workers of moral policing. The tension escalated into a protest march on July 8, organised in the Mira-Bhayander region by MNS and aligned parties like Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. Despite prior police denial of permission due to security concerns, the rally took place, with leaders invoking Marathi "asmita" (pride).

The controversy also coincides with a recent education policy flashpoint. The Maharashtra government's now-withdrawn directive to introduce Hindi in primary schools had stirred resentment among pro-Marathi groups. MNS activists protested across Mira Road and Thane, claiming the move endangered Marathi's primacy in state education and culture.

As linguistic sensitivities continue to rise, this latest assault has added fuel to an already volatile political climate in Maharashtra.