MUMBAI: Hundreds took part in a protest march led by the MNS and other groups to defend the Marathi ‘asmita’ (pride) in Mira Bhayandar area in Thane near Mumbai on Tuesday amid rising political heat following the attack on a shopkeeper for refusal to speak Marathi.The march witnessed detention of several activists by the police with leaders and workers of opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) also joining the protest.Shiv Sena minister Pratap Sarnaik was heckled and driven away by angry demonstrators as he visited the site to express solidarity. The march was organised by the Raj Thackeray-led MNS and other pro-Marathi groups under the aegis of Marathi Ekikaran Samiti to counter a protest staged by traders recently against the slapping of a food stall owner by MNS workers on July 1 for not speaking Marathi.Rajan Vichare, former Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MP who was leading the protest, said that due to the unity of ‘Marathi manoos’, the BJP-led state government was forced to withdraw the government resolutions for imposition of Hindi in Maharashtra. “In Mira Bhayandar, police gave permission for non-Marathi people protests, but they refused permission to Marathi people. Police imposed curfew restricting the assembling of more than five people at one place. This shows that Marathi people cannot speak and protest freely in their own state,” Vichare said.Maharashtra police on Monday issued notices to MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders and workers and discouraged them from participating in the protest. “They forgot that this is the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. We will fight for our rights. We will not tolerate any harassment and tyranny. BJP is trying to suppress the voice of Marathi manoos. All community people supported this march,” said MNS leader Avinash Jadhav.Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLA and minister Pratap Sarnaik tried to participate in this march, but people shooed him away by hurling slogans against him. An empty beer bottle was thrown at the minister. Police then intervened and asked the minister to leave the protest.
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