In a dramatic turn of events, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staged a robust protest on J M Road, Pune, on Friday, following the lapse of the Supreme Court’s deadline for the implementation of Marathi boards on shops in the state by the end of November.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had also issued a warning, stating that punitive action would be taken against establishments failing to display Marathi signage.
A leader from MNS, representing the Shivaji Nagar area Shared, “The deadline set by the Supreme Court for installing Marathi boards on shops has passed. In response, MNS conducted a protest near shops on JM Road. Approximately 100 participants engaged in the protest, which commenced at 11 am and lasted for 30 to 45 minutes. Several boards in English were damaged during the protest, leading to the arrest of 10 to 15 protesters.”
During the demonstration, the boards of shops with English signage were vandalized, and a minor scuffle ensued between the police and MNS activists.
On November 29, the Pune Municipal Corporation issued an order authorizing action against retailers who had not complied with the directive to display Marathi name plates or signages.
