NEW DELHI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday issued a statement directing party workers to call off the campaign demanding compulsory use of Marathi in banks and other establishments across the state.

In a letter shared by the party, Thackeray stated, “I have seen a statement of the chief minister in which he has said that no one will be allowed to take the law in their hands. We are also not interested to take the law into our hands but it is the responsibility of the government to follow the law. I expect the government to follow the law regarding the use of Marathi language in all establishments across Maharashtra.”
His remarks came a day after Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis issued a warning against individuals trying to enforce the use of Marathi through unlawful means.
“It is not wrong to insist on the use of Marathi language. But if while doing so, law is taken into hands (by someone), then it will not be tolerated and the persons concerned will be dealt with appropriately,” Fadnavis told reporters.
The MNS has been pushing for the promotion of the Marathi language ahead of civic polls in several key cities including Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik, and Nagpur.
In recent weeks, party workers targeted banks where Marathi was not being used in customer interactions.
On Wednesday, MNS workers confronted managers of two nationalised banks in Ambernath (Thane district) and Lonavala (Pune district) over the issue. Videos of the confrontations have since gone viral on social media.
On Thursday, MNS members reportedly secured a verbal assurance from a private bank manager in Thane to install Marathi signage at the branch, and removed an English-language board themselves.
At his Gudi Padwa rally on March 30, Raj Thackeray had reinforced the party’s position, saying Marathi must be made mandatory for official communication. He had also warned that those who deliberately avoid using the language would be “slapped.”