NEW DELHI: A video purportedly showing workers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) assaulting an auto-rickshaw driver in Maharashtra’s Palghar district has gone viral, news agency PTI reported. The incident took place on Saturday near Virar railway station. In the video, a group of Shiv Sena (UBT) workers, including women, are seen slapping the driver on a busy road. The driver is then made to publicly apologise to a man and his sister — with whom he had allegedly misbehaved earlier — and to the state for allegedly insulting its language, culture and icons.
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Police said on Sunday they had seen the video but had not received any formal complaint in the matter and no case had been registered so far. “We have seen the viral video and are verifying the facts, but as of now, no complaint has been received from either party,” a senior police official said. According to PTI, the driver — a migrant residing in the Virar area — had allegedly made derogatory remarks against the Marathi language and famous Marathi figures. A clip of those alleged comments had surfaced earlier on social media. Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Virar city chief Uday Jadhav, who was present at the scene, defended the group’s actions. “If anyone dares to insult the Marathi language, Maharashtra, or Marathi people, they will get a reply in the true Shiv Sena style. We will not sit silent,” Jadhav told reporters. He added, “The driver had the audacity to speak ill of Maharashtra and Marathi manoos. He was taught a befitting lesson. We made him apologise to the people of the state and to those he had offended.” The incident comes amid a larger political row over the use of Marathi in public spaces across Maharashtra. On 1 July, workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, allegedly slapped a food stall owner in Bhayander, Thane district, for not speaking in Marathi. The act prompted local traders to stage a protest against the MNS’s actions. In response, on 8 July, the MNS and other groups led a protest march in Mira-Bhayandar to defend Marathi asmita (pride). The rally also saw participation from members of the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). Several activists were detained by police during the march.
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