New Delhi [India], July 8 : As a larger controversy surrounds the use of Marathi language in Maharashtra, Congress leader Naseer Hussain on Tuesday said that we should give equal respect to all languages spoken in the country.
While speaking to ANI, Hussain said, "We should give equal respect to all languages spoken in the country. We should not hurt the sentiments of those speaking their respective languages..."
Meanwhile, Maharashtra NavNirman Sena workers gathered in large numbers at Mira Bhayandar today to protest against the ongoing language row.
The protest was led by NavNirman Sena leader Sandeep Deshpande, who addressed the crowd and demanded respect for regional languages.
The controversy began when some traders in Mumbai were allegedly attacked by MNS workers for not speaking Marathi. The MNS had been demanding that traders and shopkeepers in the city speak Marathi, leading to tensions between the two groups. The police have been working to maintain law and order in the city and prevent any further escalation of the situation.
The MNS has been advocating for the use of Marathi in public places and has been critical of those who do not speak the language. The party's chief, Raj Thackeray, has been vocal about the need for people to learn and speak Marathi, especially in Maharashtra.MNS workers protested in the Mira Bhayandar area at Mira road in Thane earlier today, protesting the now rolled back order of the Maharashtra government mandating Hindi language to be taught in primary schools.
Furthermore, Mumbai Police detained several Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers who were protesting against traders for allegedly not speaking Marathi.
The police had earlier denied permission for the rally, citing intelligence inputs and potential law and order issues. Despite this, the MNS workers went ahead with their protest, leading to their detention by the police.
Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar Police Commissioner Madhukar Pandey stated that the police had detained some people and appealed to the city's residents to cooperate with the police. The police had suggested an alternative route for the rally, which the MNS workers had refused to accept.