Regarding the recent incident of MNS workers vandalising banks and assaulting staff of nationalised banks, including Bank of Maharashtra, Raj Thackeray took to social media on Saturday, April 5, posting a pamphlet addressed to his MNS workers. The letter, written in his signature blend of defiance and strategy, congratulated his workers for their fierce advocacy but urged them to pause the agitation.
“I have seen the Chief Minister’s statement where he said no one will be allowed to take the law into their hands,” Thackeray wrote. “We’re not interested in doing that either, but it’s the government’s responsibility to enforce the law. I expect them to uphold the rules on using Marathi in all establishments across Maharashtra.”
MNS chief Raj Thackeray has doubled down on his push to make Marathi the mandatory language in banks across Maharashtra, telling his party workers—known as Maharashtra Sainiks—to take the fight straight to the banks. Following his fiery call at the Gudi Padwa rally on March 30, 2025, Thackeray instructed his followers to ensure that banks conducted transactions in Marathi.
The very next day, MNS activists fanned out across the state, storming bank branches and handing over memorandums to managers, demanding that Marathi learn the local language. In some places, signboards written in Hindi and English were torn down. Protests erupted in every district, and while many banks bowed to the pressure and began using Marathi, the campaign took a chaotic turn with reports of intimidation and violence.
This week, the movement hit a boiling point when MNS workers clashed with bank staff in places like Lonavala and Ambernath. In one widely circulated video from Lonavala, activists were seen roughing up a Bank of Maharashtra employee—even though he spoke Marathi—after a heated argument over language use escalated. The employee filed a complaint with the Lonavala City Police, who registered a non-cognizable offense against one of the accused.
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In Ambernath, another confrontation saw MNS members banging on tables and shoving a computer monitor, berating a manager for not speaking Marathi fluently despite his year-and-a-half tenure. These incidents sparked outrage online, with some calling the MNS’s tactics thuggery, while others cheered them as a stand for Marathi pride.
Raj Thackeray to MNS Workers in a Letter:
“To all my Maharashtra Sainiks Jai Maharashtra!
First off, hats off to you for once again raising a powerful voice for Marathi in Maharashtra. At the Gudi Padwa rally, I’d ordered you to check if banks in Maharashtra were transacting in Marathi—and if not, to make their administrations sit up and take notice. From the very next day, you hit the ground running, storming banks statewide and insisting on Marathi. It was impressive—not only did it send a loud message that no one can take the Marathi language or Marathi manoos for granted, but it also showcased the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s organizational muscle.
But there’s no harm in hitting pause on this movement now. We’ve stirred up enough awareness, and we’ve shown what happens when Marathi is ignored. At this point, it’s on the Marathi people to keep pushing. If our community’s too timid to demand it themselves, why should we keep fighting their battles? The real responsibility lies with the government. They’re well aware of the Reserve Bank of India’s rule allowing regional languages like Marathi in banking—they need to enforce it.
Yesterday, the Chief Minister told the media, ‘We won’t let anyone take the law into their own hands.’ Fair enough—we don’t want to, either. But if you’re the guardian of the law, isn’t it your job to implement the RBI’s rule? Make banks and other establishments respect Marathi, and we won’t have to step in. So, Maharashtra Sainiks, let’s hold off on the protests for now—but don’t let this issue fade away! And to the government: if the rules aren’t followed, and the Marathi man keeps getting sidelined or insulted, rest assured my Sainiks will be back to have a word!”
The post comes as a strategic pivot after days of escalating tensions. Bank employees, rattled by the confrontations, have appealed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for protection. The Bank of Maharashtra Officers’ Association even penned a letter on April 3, calling the MNS’s actions “criminal” and urging swift action to safeguard staff. Meanwhile, Fadnavis has walked a tightrope, saying he supports Marathi’s use but won’t tolerate lawlessness. “It’s not wrong to demand Marathi in Maharashtra,” he said on April 4, “but if anyone takes the law into their hands, the law will take its course.”