Auto driver tracked down, slapped by Sena UBT workers over ‘anti-Marathi’ remark
The auto driver allegedly refused to speak in Marathi and made disparaging remarks about the language and the state, sparking outrage on social media.
A video rant against the imposition of Marathi language has come back to haunt a Virar auto-rickshaw driver—quite literally. Days after his comments went viral and sparked outrage, a group of Shiv Sena (UBT) workers tracked him down on a busy street and slapped him in full public view, forcing an apology that was filmed and widely circulated online.
The man at the centre of the storm is Raju Patwa, an auto driver whose earlier video—where he allegedly refused to speak in Marathi and made disparaging comments about the language and state—had triggered widespread outrage on social media. The backlash was swift and furious, with local Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers launching a manhunt to locate him.
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Their search ended dramatically on a busy street in Virar West. A video that surfaced soon after shows Patwa being slapped and humiliated by a group of party workers led by UBT Sena’s Virar city chief Uday Jadhav. In the video, Patwa is seen apologising repeatedly—first to the crowd of Marathi-speaking locals, and then to a woman with whom he had allegedly misbehaved in the earlier incident.
The original flashpoint dates back to last week, when Patwa reportedly assaulted a man and misbehaved with his sister. During the altercation, he allegedly hurled insults at Marathi speakers, declaring he would not use the language. The video sparked anger among local Marathi groups, who interpreted it as an insult to their identity. By Saturday, that anger had spilled onto the streets.
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“The Marathi language is our pride. Any insult to it will be met with resistance,” said a local Shiv Sainik, defending the assault. The video of the slap—a second one, now—was proudly posted on social media by those involved.
Hindi vs Marathi row
This incident comes fortnight after seven men - members of Raj Thackeray’s MNS assaulted a Mira Road shopkeeper for conversing in Hindi, which sparked public outrage and a citywide protest by local traders. The Kashimira police have filed a charge sheet and proposed preventive action against all seven accused.
Despite the public nature of the assault in the fresh case, no FIR had been filed till late Sunday evening. A senior police officer from Virar police station said, “We are analysing the videos and verifying the facts before taking further action.”
Meanwhile, the clip continues to do the rounds online, fanning a fiery debate on regional pride, vigilantism, and the uneasy intersections of identity and law.
