Political violence re-emerged in Maharashtra with fresh outrage after members of Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) physically assaulted the head of a coaching institute in the Mumbai suburb of Kalyan. The victim, Siddharth Singh Chandel, runs the Siddhartha Logic coaching centre, which prepares students for competitive exams, including the Indian Administrative Service. A two-and-a-half-minute video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, captures the violent encounter.
In the footage, three MNS members are seen sitting across a desk from Chandel. They reportedly accused him of charging high fees without conducting classes. Chandel, seen speaking on the phone, tries to calm the men down, but the situation escalates rapidly.
Within seconds, one of the men slaps him. Another hurls a stainless-steel bottle at him. Visibly stunned, Chandel continues to try and pacify them, but a third man throws a wooden plaque in his direction. A number of young girls are seen sitting in a corner of the room during the assault, clearly terrified, and one of them is seen filming the event on her cell phone. Another attacker can be seen pointing accusingly at Chandel while another is seen making a phone call. The video ends with Chandel on his feet, appearing to be threatened by one of the assailants.
This attack is the most recent in a series of violent incidents that have allegedly been committed by MNS employees in recent weeks. Many of these incidents have been connected to alleged insults directed at the Marathi identity or language. The assaults have been increasing amid reports that the perpetrators are operating with a sense of political protection.
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Earlier incidents include the attack on a shopkeeper in Mumbai’s Mira Road and another in Vikhroli. Migrant auto drivers in the city have also reportedly been targeted. Despite public outcry, the MNS and its leader Raj Thackeray have neither apologised nor condemned the acts. In fact, Thackeray has defended and praised the attackers. His party has even warned that more violence will follow if he is criticised.
In several of these incidents, including the Mira Road assault, police action was delayed or negligible. The seven men involved in that particular case were only summoned by police after media pressure, and they were released without any further legal consequences. The lack of arrests, even in cases where videos clearly show the violent acts, has raised serious concerns about law enforcement and political interference.
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Political resistance to recent Maharashtra state government directives from April and June, which required Hindi as a subject for students in Classes I through V in all state schools, is at the heart of these incidents. Raj Thackeray and his MNS have aligned with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction—his estranged cousin’s group—in strongly opposing what they describe as the 'imposition' of Hindi in Maharashtra.
A broader political dispute has been triggered by these linguistic tensions, with Raj Thackeray and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey exchanging jabs. Relations between the MNS and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have become even more strained as a result of the conflict. Many were taken aback by Maharashtra Home Minister Yogesh Kadam's response. Instead of condemning the violence or promising action against the attackers, Kadam stated that 'action will be taken' against those who disrespect Marathi, while remaining silent on holding the perpetrators accountable. "Marathi will have to be spoken in Maharashtra," he declared.
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