Mumbai: MNS becomes aggressive over Supreme Court's order regarding Marathi signboards over shops; warns protest

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has become aggressive and the Raj Thackeray-led party has warned of 'protest' if Marathi boards are not put up on the shops within three days. Banners with such content have also been put up by MNS in Mumbai.

Maharashtra: Two months have passed since the Supreme Court's order regarding Marathi boards in Mumbai. The court had ordered the trade associations to put up Marathi boards on the shops till November 25. The deadline given by the court will end in three days.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has become aggressive and the Raj Thackeray-led party has warned of 'protest' if Marathi boards are not put up within three days. Banners with such content have also been put up by MNS.

MNS leader and ex-MLA Nitin Sardesai told ETV Bharat on Wednesday that his party's aggressive stand over the issue will continue. "Let us wait and watch (and see what happens after two days)," he added. Quizzed whether the party will launch an agitation, Sardesai quipped all things cannot be revealed right now.

After the Supreme Court's order, many shopkeepers in Mumbai started writing the names of their shops in Marathi in bold letters. However, some shopkeepers have not changed their shop signs. MNS has now given an ultimatum to such traders by putting up banners.

Another MNS leader Mauli Thorve said that aggressive agitation was conducted by MNS across the state regarding Marathi boards. The Supreme Court has drawn up some regulations regarding Marathi boards. Accordingly, it has been decided that signboards on all the shops in Mumbai City should be in Marathi till 25 November 2023.

"Make Marathi boards in three days, or else be prepared for MNS's action. Now if Raj Thackeray's order comes, we will see a different picture. We are ready to take up more cases," said Thorve, a local office-bearer of the party.

The president of the trade union Veeren Shah said the traders have changed the signboards of the shops as per the directives of the apex court and Municipal Corporation of Geater Mumbai (MCGM).

"So far, over 80 per cent of shopkeepers have changed their shop signs. We have sent a message from our organisation to those who have not changed so far. We have requested them. If the MCGM takes action, the shopkeepers will be fully responsible for it. They will have to face the music," added Shah.

According to the information provided by MCGM officials, a total of 28,000 shops come under their jurisdiction. "5,000 of these shops had not put up signs in Marathi before the court order. We had sent notices to them. However, the court granted two months. So we have given these shopkeepers two months. Now three more days are left for the deadline. After three days, shopkeepers who have not put up Marathi boards will be penalised as per the rules," officials added.

The Supreme Court asked the retail traders in Mumbai who approached it against writing names and details in Marathi on the shop signboards to change the signs.

"Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra and many people can easily read anything written in Marathi, shopkeepers should not oppose the rule of writing names in Marathi as well," the court had said. The court also advised the shopkeepers that instead of spending money on lawyers, consider putting up a small board written in Marathi.