The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists took out a protest march to the Hotstar office on Monday seeking Marathi commentary for cricket matches aired by the streaming platform. The renewed language politics come as Mumbai braces for Municipal Corporation Elections.
MNS leader Ameya Khopkar and other party workers also staged a sit-in at Hotstar office at Lower Parel in Mumbai demanding that Hotstar begin Marathi commentary from the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy matches.
The MNS activists said they waited at the Hotstar office for three hours before they met senior officials. This resulted in an altercation, triggering tension in the building, following which police were deployed.
Khopkar alleged that Hotstar had commentary in Tamil. Telugu, Haryanvi, Punjabi and Kannada are all languages. "So why not Marathi?," Khopkar demanded.
‘हॉटस्टार’वर प्रसारित होणाऱ्या भारत-इंग्लंड टी-२० सामन्याचं समालोचन हरयाणवी आणि भोजपुरी भाषेतूनही केलं जात आहे, पण यात मराठी भाषा नाही. अभिजात भाषेचा दर्जा मिळूनही मराठीला ही अशी वागणूक देण्याची हिंमतच कशी होते? स्टार नेटवर्क यांना अभिजात म्हणजे काय त्याचा मनसे स्टाईल धडा द्यावाच… pic.twitter.com/tmVmtR9EiA
— Ameya Khopkar (@MNSAmeyaKhopkar) January 26, 2025
Khopkar said it was a tragedy that they had to fight for Marathi in Maharashtra. "I didn’t come for a meeting. I came to threaten. We have informed them that we will not leave until we get something in writing. Hotstar has agreed and has given us a letter agreeing to start Maharashtra commentary for the upcoming ICC Trophy," said Khopkar.
He alleged that Hotstar claimed their Marathi commentary has little subscribers. "We have told them that such excuses won't work," the MNS leader said.
With BMC elections around the corner, the MNS has revived the agitation over the Marathi language. Three weeks ago, the MNS workers had assaulted an employee at a private company in Pune, following allegations of imposition of a mandatory Hindi-speaking policy.
As per reports, the employee reportedly warned his subordinates against using Marathi and allegedly denied festival holidays. The MNS has also repeatedly insisted on Marathi boards in Mumbai shops.
Meanwhile, speculations were rife that MNS would join Mahayuti ahead of the elections. MNS chief Raj Thackeray met with BJP Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar earlier this month but no such statements were made by either the BJP or the MNS.
