Mumbai, February 5: A fresh language row has erupted in Maharashtra after a bank employee was allegedly threatened by workers of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for not knowing Marathi. The incident took place at a branch of Bank of Maharashtra in Mumbai’s Mahim area and has triggered widespread outrage on social media after a video went viral.

In the video, MNS leader Anish Khandagale is seen confronting a bank official for speaking in Hindi instead of Marathi. According to reports, a Marathi-speaking youth had been visiting the Bank of Maharashtra branch for nearly a month to seek a loan. He allegedly complained to MNS leaders that the non-Marathi official was neither processing his request nor speaking to him properly. 'Marathi Nahi Bolunga': Man Says He Will Speak in Hindi Only After Being Asked To Speak Marathi at Godrej Building in Panvel (Watch Video).

MNS Workers Threaten Bank Employee in Mumbai

 

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Following the complaint, MNS workers arrived at the bank and pressured the employee to speak in Marathi. The official responded calmly, saying, “Nahi aati mujhe Marathi. Hindi aati hai,” adding that there was no rule making Marathi mandatory for bank employees. The workers countered by saying, “You work in Bank of Maharashtra… speak Marathi,” and demanded his immediate transfer, threatening to stage a protest at the branch the next day at 12 PM. 'India Me Hindi Hi Chalega': Gujarati Man Refuses to Speak Marathi in Maharashtra's Pune, Later Issues Apology; Video Surfaces.

It later emerged that the bank employee is from Madhya Pradesh. The incident has reignited the ongoing language debate in the state, with many users praising the officer’s composure. One viral comment read, “Salute to the bank officer for giving a proper reply with calmness.”

This is not an isolated case. Maharashtra has witnessed multiple such incidents in recent years, including an assault on a sweet shop owner and the beating of a 19-year-old boy in a local train for speaking Hindi. The latest episode has once again put the spotlight on language politics linked to MNS and its chief Raj Thackeray, sparking a fresh debate over linguistic tolerance in Mumbai.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 05, 2026 11:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).