MNS Chief warns non-locals to behave or risk being slapped

MNS Chief warns non-locals to behave or risk being slapped

While the MNS Chief Raj Thackeray justifies assault on a shop owner for not speaking Marathi, calls out traders protesting the assault and questions their shutdowns and
threatens action if Hindi is made compulsory in Maharashtra schools

The MNS Chief on Friday intensified his rhetoric against
non-Marathi speakers in the state, saying that if someone doesn’t understand Marathi, they will get a tight slap.
“Now if you can’t understand Marathi even when it’s spoken directly into your ear, you’ll get a slap below it. People create a fuss for no reason. This was said by the MNS Chief amidst addressing a rally in Mira-Bhayandar, where his party workers had assaulted a shop owner a few days ago for not speaking Marathi.

Recounting the incident and taunting the local traders for their protest against the assault on the shopkeeper, Raj Thackeray went on to say that whatever happened to that person was because of his attitude. Other traders had called for a shutdown. But if someone closes their shop under pressure, understand this—how long will you keep your shop shut? If we stop buying, then what?”
Adding that you have all come here, stay quiet and do your work. But if you fool around here, a slap is guaranteed.
Slamming CM Devendra Fadnavis Minister, Thackeray said said if Hindi was made mandatory for Classes 1 to 5 in schools in Maharashtra, his party will “shut down schools”.

Earlier this month, the BJP-led government had withdrawn two orders making Hindi mandatory in primary schools after strong opposition by several organisations and political parties including the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Raj’s estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray.
Speaking at the rally, Raj also said he was not opposed to any language, but would not tolerate compulsion.

News Edit KV Raman