Nalasopara: In a significant move, Western Railways suspended ticket inspector Ritesh Kumar Maurya on Tuesday following a controversy regarding the Marathi language. The altercation began when a passenger aboard a suburban train at Nalasopara requested to speak in Marathi as he was unable to understand Hindi, only to be bullied and threatened by Maurya. The ticket inspector allegedly stated, "If you're Indian, you should speak Hindi; if you speak Marathi, I'll register an FIR." Maurya also forced the passenger's wife to delete videos of the incident, escalating tensions.
This incident was shared widely over social media on Monday morning and protesting against the incident, Marathi Ekikaran Samiti workers staged a three-hour strike at the Nalasopara railway office demanding stringent action against Maurya. The organisation's leaders met with railway officials pressing for Maurya's dismissal. After a four-hour meeting, officials suspended Maurya, halted his salary increment and promotion, and ordered an investigation.
A criminal case will also be registered against Maurya. Marathi Ekikaran Samiti hailed the suspension as a victory, thanking railway officials and Maharashtra Police for their cooperation. The organisation vowed to continue pushing for Maurya's permanent dismissal.
Railway officials pledged to address the organisation's concerns, emphasising the importance of linguistic inclusivity. The Divisional Railway Manager's X handle of WR responded to the incident on Monday night, mentioning: “The Western Railway respects all languages and passengers of the country and believes in unity in diversity".
