A troubling case of linguistic discrimination has emerged from Mumbai’s Ghatkopar locality, where a woman was allegedly harassed by a group of individuals for not speaking in Marathi. The incident, captured on video and widely circulated on social media on July 20, has reignited debates around language-based identity politics in Maharashtra.
The woman, identified as Sanjira Devi, was reportedly standing near her residence when she was confronted by a group of men who demanded she converse in Marathi. When she asked them to move aside, the group allegedly grew hostile and began shouting at her for speaking in Hindi. One man, visibly agitated, can be seen in the video pointing a finger at her and yelling, “Speak in Marathi. This is Maharashtra.” Others joined in, echoing the demand.
Unfazed, Sanjira responded assertively: “No, you speak in Hindi. Tell me, aren’t you Indian? Are you not from Hindustan?” The situation escalated briefly before bystanders intervened and someone alerted the local police. By the time officers arrived, the accused individuals had fled the scene. A formal police complaint is yet to be registered, though authorities say the matter is under inquiry.
This is the second language-related confrontation in the city within a week. On July 16, in Vikhroli’s Tagore Nagar, a Rajasthani businessman named Prem Singh Devda was allegedly assaulted by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) members after he posted a WhatsApp status deemed derogatory towards the Marathi community. The post read, “See the power of a Rajasthani. Beat the Marathi in Maharashtra itself. We are Marwaris, nobody can stand before us.”
MNS leader Santosh Desai and party worker Vishwajit Dholam reportedly confronted Devda, forced him to apologise, and paraded him publicly. Devda later issued a written apology at the Vikhroli Police Station and left for his native village in Rajasthan. No FIR was filed as both parties declined to lodge a complaint.
These incidents have once again sparked concern about growing linguistic hostility in Mumbai, a city known for its multicultural fabric. Civil rights groups and social commentators have condemned the acts, stressing that every Indian has the constitutional right to speak in the language of their choice.
