Tension in Mira Road-Bhayander over MNS protest: 'Not against morcha, but its route'

Amid tensions in Mira Road, a suburb of Mumbai, over the issue of Marathi versus Hindi language use, the police on Tuesday denied the charges that the  Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Marathi Ekikaran Samiti had permission to take out a morcha in Mira Road town.

This morcha was in response to the morcha taken out by non-Marathi migrants and traders after one trader was assaulted by MNS activists a couple of days ago after he allegedly said he wouldn't learn Marathi.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that he had spoken to the Commissioner of Police of Mira Road-Bhayander and was informed by the police officials that they were not against the morcha, but the specific route that the agitators wanted to take. Fadnavis said that everyone had the right to participate in a morcha, the route of which will be decided after discussing with the police officials. 

The permission was denied since MNS and other activists were insistent on taking a particular route that could have created a law and order situation. 

The MNS and Marathi Ekikaran Samiti activists alleged that local MLA Narendra Mehta played a partial role by supporting the morcha taken out by traders and non-Marathi people,  but firmly opposed the morcha planned by MNS and Samiti.

Tensions increased after MNS leaders Sandip Deshpande, Shiv Sena UBT leaders Rajan Vichare and Vinod Ghosalkar rushed to Mira Road to pacify the situation. "If you abuse our language and culture, you will get a tight slap on your cheek," said Deshpande, addressing a big gathering of crowd at Mira Road railway station.

After rounds of discussion with the police authorities, MNS and Marathi Ekikaran Samiti were allowed to take the morcha towards the railway station.

India