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Paris Street Performer Video of Indian Tourists’ Maharashtra Chants Draws Polarized Reaction

Shared by a Shiv Sena–linked page, the video resurfaced after Mumbai’s civic results, becoming a proxy for arguments over cultural pride overseas.

Overview

  • The short clip shows a man putting his arm around a mime-like performer and chanting “Jai Shiv Sena” and “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai.”
  • The performer repeatedly gestures for quiet as the group continues briefly, and nearby tourists appear uncomfortable.
  • The video was posted on January 6 by Instagram handle @shivsenamumbailive and circulated widely in mid-January, with Indian Express placing the scene near Montmartre.
  • Some in the group add the line “Shinde Sahab tum aage badho, hum tumhare saath hain,” linking the moment to Maharashtra politics as attention followed recent BMC results.
  • Online response is divided between pride in regional identity and criticism of disruptive conduct, with no reports of official action.