The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has intensified its campaign demanding the mandatory use of Marathi in all nationalized banks, escalating its protests to pressure banking officials into conducting transactions and conversations in the state’s official language. The party, led by Raj Thackeray, has once again stirred controversy with its aggressive stance, reigniting debates over linguistic identity and regional pride in Maharashtra.
On Tuesday, MNS activists staged a dramatic protest at a Yes Bank branch, where they symbolically handed bank officials both flowers and stones—representing a mix of a request and an implicit warning. The party has announced that similar demonstrations will be carried out across all banks in the state starting today, vowing to ensure that Marathi is given its due recognition in banking operations. MNS leaders argue that banks operating in Maharashtra must respect and adhere to the linguistic preferences of the local population.
This latest agitation comes amid rising concerns over the methods adopted by the party. A recent incident involving MNS workers allegedly assaulting a security guard in Mumbai for his inability to speak Marathi has sparked widespread criticism. A video of the altercation went viral, showing MNS activists berating and slapping the security guard at a residential complex in Powai, demanding that he converse in Marathi. The incident has raised questions about the party’s approach, with many condemning the use of violence and intimidation to enforce linguistic compliance.
HISTORY OF MNS’S MARATHI CAMPAIGN
This is not the first time the MNS has aggressively pushed for Marathi language supremacy in the state. Since its formation in 2006, after Raj Thackeray’s split from the Shiv Sena, the party has positioned itself as the foremost champion of the "Marathi Manoos" (Marathi people). One of its earliest and most controversial campaigns involved forcing businesses to display their names in Marathi. This led to violent protests, acts of vandalism, and legal battles as MNS workers targeted establishments that failed to comply.
In 2007-08, MNS took its campaign further by targeting non-Marathi job seekers, particularly candidates from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who had traveled to Mumbai for railway recruitment exams. MNS workers violently disrupted the exams, attacking candidates and arguing that jobs in Maharashtra should be reserved primarily for local youth. The incident triggered a nationwide backlash, with political leaders from various parties condemning the attacks and calling for strict action against MNS members involved in the violence.
Over the years, the party has also played a significant role in the entertainment sector, pressuring multiplexes and cinema halls to allocate more screens for Marathi films. MNS leaders have frequently issued warnings to theater owners, threatening disruptions if Marathi cinema was sidelined in favor of Hindi or English films. This pressure ultimately led to many theaters adjusting their schedules to accommodate more Marathi films, ensuring that the regional industry got better visibility.
MARATHI VOTE BANK FACTOR
Despite its aggressive pro-Marathi stance, the MNS has struggled to convert its linguistic nationalism into sustained electoral success. The party’s best performance came in the 2009 Maharashtra Assembly elections when it won 13 seats, largely due to a strong Marathi voter base. However, in subsequent elections, MNS has seen its vote share decline sharply, losing ground to rivals such as the BJP and the two factions of the Shiv Sena.
Political analysts estimate that Marathi-speaking voters make up approximately 36-40% of Mumbai’s electorate. However, the competition for this vote bank has intensified with multiple parties claiming to represent Marathi interests. The Shiv Sena (both Uddhav Thackeray’s faction and Eknath Shinde’s faction) and the BJP have successfully consolidated much of the Marathi voter base, leaving MNS struggling to retain its influence.
With the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Raj Thackeray appears to be using the Marathi language issue as a rallying point to rejuvenate his party’s political fortunes. By reigniting linguistic nationalism, the MNS is attempting to re-establish its identity and appeal to regional sentiments. However, the party faces an uphill battle, as past attempts to leverage the Marathi card have not always translated into electoral gains.
While some sections of the population support the demand for greater use of Marathi in official transactions, others view the MNS’s tactics as divisive and counterproductive. Critics argue that Maharashtra, as an economic powerhouse, should embrace linguistic inclusivity rather than resort to coercion. Moreover, businesses and financial institutions operate in a multilingual environment, catering to diverse populations, making it impractical to impose a rigid linguistic mandate.
As the political landscape in Maharashtra continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether Raj Thackeray’s renewed focus on the Marathi issue will help MNS regain its lost ground or further alienate voters who prefer a more balanced approach to governance and regional identity.
