Dombivli: On April 8, two women, one holding a nine-month-old baby, were allegedly assaulted in Dombivli for saying ‘excuse me’ to a man blocking their path.

The accused was allegedly offended by the use of English over Marathi by the women. The accused allegedly twisted one woman’s arm, prompting four or five family members to join the fray.

Vishnunagar police registered an FIR into the incident.

A video of the incident went viral and sparked outrage and renewed scrutiny of Maharashtra’s simmering language tensions.

The demand for Marathi and insistence on the language be accorded the position of pre-eminence has acquired renewed vigour and determination.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray’s March 30 Gudi Padwa rally ignited this push, decrying banks for sidelining Marathi and warning of an ‘identity crisis’ among the language speakers.  

Taking the cue, MNS activists kickstarted a campaign across the Greater Mumbai Region demanding the use of Marathi for all official communication purposes.

As part of the campaign, banks in Navi Mumbai, Thane and Ambernath have been stormed.

In Juinagar, MNS issued a seven-day ultimatum to banks like SBI and Bank of Baroda, demanding Marathi in all operations per an RBI circular, threatening ‘agitation’ if ignored. The party’s student wing also targeted English-medium schools banning Marathi, amplifying their campaign.

Karnataka mirrors this trend. In March, a KSRTC bus conductor in Belagavi was assaulted for speaking in Kannada instead of Marathi. These clashes signal the simmering tensions over linguistic pride.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis while supporting the Marathi cause has condemned vigilantism. Fadnavis has promised action yet the government’s response has been limited to probes and lacks teeth.

Critics argue these flare-ups, from Dombivli’s “excuse me” row to bank confrontations, distract from unemployment and urban decay, prioritising symbolism over substance.