Overview

• A viral video from a Central line ladies’ compartment shows commuters demanding a passenger speak Marathi during a seat dispute, prompting Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police inquiries despite no FIR.
• In Ghatkopar, Sanjira Devi was surrounded by a group insisting she switch to Marathi, an episode now under police review after bystanders alerted authorities and the suspects dispersed.
• MNS workers and allied activists have intensified “speak Marathi” patrols across Mumbai, confronting shopkeepers, auto drivers and visiting journalists for using other languages.
• Late June policy shifts—including rescinding Hindi mandates and appointing an expert panel—followed by a July 5 rally uniting Raj and Uddhav Thackeray did little to stem mid-July flare-ups.
• A Supreme Court PIL and heightened probes highlight deepening legal scrutiny as language vigilantism raises concerns over migrant rights and political maneuvering before civic elections.