PALGHAR, July 13 — A video showing a migrant auto-rickshaw driver being slapped and forced to apologise by alleged Shiv Sena (UBT) workers in Maharashtra’s Palghar district has gone viral, adding fuel to an escalating language controversy in the state.
The incident occurred on Saturday near Virar railway station and was confirmed by police on Sunday, though no formal complaint has been lodged so far. “We have seen the video and are verifying the facts, but as of now, no complaint has been received from either party,” a senior police official said.
In the footage, a group of Shiv Sena (UBT) workers — including women — are seen assaulting the driver in public, accusing him of making derogatory comments about the Marathi language, Maharashtra, and its cultural icons. He is then made to offer a public apology to two individuals — a man and his sister — with whom he had allegedly misbehaved earlier, and also to the state of Maharashtra.
Uday Jadhav, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Virar city chief, who was present at the spot, defended the assault, warning that any insult to Marathi identity would be met with action. “The driver had the audacity to speak ill of Maharashtra and Marathi manoos. He was taught a befitting lesson,” Jadhav said. “We made him apologise to the people of the state and to those he had offended. If anyone dares to insult the Marathi language or Maharashtra, they will get a reply in the true Shiv Sena style.”
The driver, a migrant residing in the Virar area, had earlier appeared in another video — also circulated on social media — in which he allegedly made offensive remarks against the Marathi language and state pride.
The incident mirrors rising linguistic tensions in the region. On July 1, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers assaulted a food stall owner in Bhayander, Thane district, for refusing to speak in Marathi. The act drew protests from local traders, prompting a counter-march by the MNS and allied groups in Mira Bhayandar on July 8 to uphold Marathi ‘asmita’ (pride). Police detained several activists during the march, which also saw participation from leaders of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).
As public outrage over the Palghar incident grows, police say they are continuing to assess the situation but reiterated that any legal action hinges on the filing of a formal complaint.
Read more: Marathi Identity Brings Uddhav, Raj Thackeray Together After 2 Decades
