MNS workers thrash Pune multiplex manager for not being Marathi literate

In a shocking video, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers have been seen thrashing a manager at a Pune multiplex. The video footage shows several MNS workers hitting the man on his head on the flimsy ground of high prices of food items sold in the multiplex. The footage dated June 28 shows the MNS hooligans slapping the assistant manager of PVR Icon on Senapati Bapat Road multiple times. The MNS workers were also spotted carrying banners protesting against high prices in the multiplex premises.

The video was shared online by ANI after which the MNS has been drawing a lot of flak. The regional party has come under heavy fire for consistently indulging in vandalism and has been accused of seeking attention by such wrongdoings. Meanwhile, a case has been registered against Kishor Shinde, a former corporator from Kothrud area of Pune, after a complaint was made by the multiplex against the hooligans. But instead of admitting his fault, Shinde defended his actions. He stated that this was bound to happen because the Bombay High Court, while hearing a PIL, had asked the Maharashtra government why it could not regulate the prices of food items sold at exorbitant rates in movie halls. The former corporator’s bizarre explanation is as condemnable and infuriating as his acts. The High Court had merely posed a question before the Maharashtra government, it had neither directed the multiplex owners to reduce prices nor had it given a license to the MNS to go around beating people blue and black on such grounds. However, this is MNS for you, the vandalism-driven party makes its own interpretations and goes around beating anyone that it wants to. No one had given them the right to execute the alleged High Court direction. If they were really concerned they should have reported the incident before the enforcement authorities, but again, it is unfair to assume that the MNS will respect the law of the land. It is preposterous how MNS is using a judicial observation in order to break the law.

Another angle has emerged to the entire incident that took place in Pune, as Kishor Shinde has stated in his tweet that “We told manager to read news reports, he said don’t know how to read Marathi. Then we dealt with him MNS style”. This shows that the exorbitant food prices is just an excuse, it was the Maratha manusu angle that fuelled the MNS workers. This is why they were only asking him to read the news reports initially, but when they came to know that the manager can’t read Marathi, MNS workers gave him a thrashing. The idea of food prices being exorbitant is therefore, just a face-saving device used by the MNS. It is their traditional ideology of hooliganism for saving “Maratha pride”.

No political party can be allowed to go around beating others on false pretexts. Raj Thackeray-led MNS has, however, been accustomed to doing this for quite some time now. The Fadnavis government should take the Pune incident up as a challenge and set an example out of this. It should be made clear that no one can be allowed to challenge the rule of law. In fact, a “zero tolerance” policy should be pursued against the MNS goons in order to ensure a proper law and order situation in Maharashtra, especially where MNS has greater presence.