Tension Escalates in Mira Road Over Marathi Language Row; Over 100 Protesters Detained by Police

Political Support, Arrests, and Route Dispute Add Fuel to Linguistic Tensions in Mira-Bhayandar

Mira Road (Sajid Mahmood Sheikh): The linguistic controversy over the Marathi language in Mira-Bhayandar continues to flare, leading to a fresh wave of protests. On Tuesday, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) held a counter-march in response to last week’s traders’ protest, which had emerged after an MNS worker allegedly slapped a shopkeeper for not displaying a signboard in Marathi.

The Tuesday rally, organized by MNS in support of Marathi language rights, received backing from Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction). However, police detained over 100 protesters, citing denial of permission for the march. The detainees were released an hour later after being taken to Penkarpada police station.

Senior NCP leader Ghulam Nabi Farooqui, present at the protest, told Inquilab that the march was a constitutional right in support of Marathi language. “We are against any form of violence, but it is unjust to detain peaceful protesters. Last year, outsiders brought in by Nitesh Rane attacked traders, but no action was taken,” he claimed.

Protesters raised slogans against local MLAs Narendra Mehta and Pratap Sarnaik, accusing them of communalizing the issue by framing it as a Marathi vs. Marwari conflict. Protesters intended to march from Balaji Hotel to Mira Road station, but were stopped and redirected.

Additional Commissioner of Police Datt Shinde said that the permission had been revoked two days ago, owing to the sensitivity of the recent incidents and a registered FIR. “Traders were also denied permission previously, but they protested anyway,” he clarified.

Police Commissioner Madhukar Pandey cited a High Court ruling, noting that route and time for protests must be mutually agreed with police. “We suggested an alternate route, but MNS insisted on their chosen path, which posed a risk of unrest.”

He also addressed claims circulating on social media that shopkeepers were given leeway while Marathi protesters were restricted, clarifying that both groups faced FIRs when permissions were violated. Pandey called for public cooperation to maintain law and order.

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, when asked by reporters, supported the police’s action. “Maharashtra is a democratic state. Everyone has the right to protest, but public order and traffic management are important. If MNS had accepted the alternate route, they would have received permission,” he said. He further added, “A true Marathi person has a big heart and always thinks of India first. No one should try to provoke them.”