Shiv Sena Workers Caught on Video Beating Driver in Marathi Language Row

A video circulated on 13 July shows men identified as workers of the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray publicly assaulting an auto-rickshaw driver in Virar, a northern suburb of Mumbai. The attackers slapped the driver and forced him to hold his ears in apology after accusing him of insulting the Marathi language by not speaking it while on duty. Local broadcasters reported that no formal complaint had been filed and police had not taken action by late Sunday morning. Party representatives quoted by television channels said they do not condone vandalism but offered no comment on possible disciplinary steps against the individuals involved. The episode has revived long-standing tensions over the primacy of Marathi in Maharashtra’s public life, an issue historically championed by regional parties. Authorities have yet to announce whether they will open an investigation.