‘Whatever gets upraised on the land of Maharashtra, consumes the natural wealth bestowed upon the state of Maharashtra. The electricity, water and other resources that is allotted to each educational institute is a part of the share that Maharashtra gets. On such a background, if any educational institute refrains from approving the state language of Maharashtra (i.e. Marathi), under the pretext of running any of the CBSE, ICSE, or of being affiliated to national or international curricula like IGCSE, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena will have to raise a movement against it without relent.

The Maharashtra state will no longer commit the sin of producing generations of people who don’t teach or learn Marathi. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena tamed the education institutes into making Marathi mandatory as a subject, by putting forth a letter from Shri Raj saheb Thackeray purporting that, “MNS will not tolerate such a treachery against Maharashtra.”

India was marching ahead fast in the telecom sector. The number of telephone and mobile users was growing rapidly. All the language-loving societies across the world always strive to make the dynamic technologies available in their own language. That’s because there is not just linguistic identity but also their commerce associated with it.

In case a person makes contact with another and if the call cannot be completed, the message heard wherever in the world would be in the language of the region where the contact was attempted. If you tried to contact in Tamil Nadu the message would be in Tamil, if in Gujarat the message would be in Gujarati, and Bengali in Bengal. But a contact in Maharashtra would message back in Hindi. Why was it so? Why not in the state language Marathi? Upon discovering this, the Maharashtra (Navnirman Sena) warriors brought this notice of all telecom companies through appeals. We gave them a time period for changing the system, but the telecom companies did not understand the language of appeal. Al last, when Raj saheb delivered a command in a party gathering, the Maharashtra (Navnirman Sena) warriors gave an MNS-style sucker punch to telecom establishments, and within 24 hours Marathi was included in communication systems. Similarly, upon knowing that Marathi songs are being neglected by radio channels in spite of having innumerable Marathi listeners, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena remained fastidious for fair justice being made to Marathi music too.

Within Maharashtra, Marathi used to be sidelined – sometimes for convenience and at others for carelessness – for usage of Hindi or English in government correspondence, city development plans, and complete information about important schemes, bank transactions, government and semi-government nameplates, and payable bills.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena started raising objection wherever it found such instances, launched protests, and questioned the authorities. In addition, we even fought court battles. The Maharashtra (Navnriman Sena) warriors came out successful in getting institutions to use Marathi for routine business. Some establishments later on started making lame attempts of getting content translated in to Marathi by using Google Translator; and hoardings and posters in ill-translated corrupt Marathi started showing up. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena brought the concerned to yielding by registering objections.

Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra, where the Indian film industry was born, and where even today the Hindi film industry worth billions of turnover along with Marathi cinema, as well as other language film businesses thrive. Each state in India prioritizes movies in the languages of respective states, but in Maharashtra the Marathi cinema was being disregarded in spite of the prevailing laws. Hindi film makers and exhibitors were humiliating Marathi movies with refined content and good business prospects by raising doubts about the quality of Marathi regional cinema in general. Consequently, classy Marathi cinematic art and also the Marathi artists were being crushed.

Eyeing the need for someone to lock horns with the adamancy of these loaded bulls, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena founded ‘Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena’ (Maharashtra Navnirman Motion Picture Workers’ Brigade). The chair was designated to the youthful Maharahstra warrior Shri. Ameya Khopkar. We started movements and protests for raising voice unjust roles being given to Marathi artists and characters in movies, providing strong support to Marathi artists being exploited by producers, giving due place to Marathi films in multiplex theaters, and making prime time slots available for screening them etc. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena acquired an aggressive position for giving justice to Marathi films, sometimes through symbolic actions, at some other through protests, and when needed through thrashing down.

Marathi cine industry enlivened again due to the collective huddle by Marathi artists, directors, and producers. The fierceness of protests by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the caliber of Marathi films was rising on day to day basis. In case of a Marathi and a Hindi film release dates clashing, combined efforts were started to thwart the obduracy of the Multiplex owners. At last, on a certain day, all the film directors, producers, single-screen theater owners, multiplex owners met with Shri. Raj saheb Thackeray in the party headquarters of MNS. A demand for giving Marathi films a fair share in revenue and prime screening time was agreed upon in this meeting and the intensity of the struggle for Marathi cine business was softened. But of course, the conflict will keep resurging as there are multiple film industries active in Mumbai, but a permanent solution to this issue can be reached by willingness of the government.

“Marathi is the state language of Maharashtra; and it is obligatory for all institutions, shops, and establishments to display signboards and do business in Marathi according to Shops and Properties Act 1948, Article 62, Clause 20 (A). We, at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena are giving a 1-month period to all concerned for implementing necessary changes! Because you have wasted the years since the formation of Maharashtra state along with Mumbai on 1 May 1960 by showing disrespect toward Marathi. If your signboards and trade affairs are not seen to be in Marathi, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena will make arrangements to teach you Marathi by a definitive Marathi method. I will personally oversee this action.” A letter of such purport by Honorable Raj saheb was sent to each establishment in Maharashtra.

The warning message was reminded to the owners of such properties a good 10 days ahead of the deadline by counting down. This helped in underlining the gravity of the movement, and most establishments displayed signs in Marathi well within 1 month period. Those who showed impudence were contacted by Maharashtra (Navnirman Sena) warriors in the characteristic Marathi style and tamed them. In spite of the demand of the Maharashtra Navnirnam Sena was to abide by the law, some owners defied and went to the court. Cases were filed against Maharashtra (Navnirman Sena) warriors. However, we were having the law on our side and therefore sure to win.

According to ‘Maharashtra Shops and Properties Act 1948’ and ‘Maharashtra Shops and Properties Act 1961’ all properties must have a signboard in Marathi, Devanagari script, and these letters must be in the beginning. While installing signs in languages and scripts other than Marathi, it must be observed that the signboard in Marathi and Devanagari is not less prominent than the other. In spite of such a provision as above in the Act, we have been receiving complaints about the signs of shops and properties not being in Marathi. Concerned owners shall take prompt action to display signs of shops and properties in Marathi. Labor Commission Office released a notice that the property owners who do not implement the rule will be charged with action. The government and administration had to take a serious note of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena movement, and establishments in Maharashtra started displaying signboards in Marathi.

27 of February is the birth anniversary of ‘Bhashaprabhu’ (Lord of the Language) poet Kusumagraj (Late V. V. Shirvadkar). The day used to be commemorated meekly as ‘Marathi Bhasha Din’ (Marathi Language Day) in Maharashtra by a few literature lovers, awakened citizens, and in government offices. When Raj saheb declared the view that ‘The festival Marathi that is of our identity must be celebrated with great zeal’, the ‘Marathi State Language Day’ began to be rejoiced with enthusiasm all over Maharashtra. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is proud to be the pioneer in reveling ‘Marathi Language Day’ in such a grandiose form throughout Maharashtra, with Book Processions, Poetry Symposia, felicitations of honorable Marathi people, magnanimous cultural fests, Marathi signature mission, Book Exhibitions, and Forums etc.

‘Marathi Language Day’ began to be staged like a festival. It sparked life in the Marathi cine and theater artists. Art forms received due regard. Marathi signboards shining on properties started making a Marathi impression on major cities. Automatically recorded messages of telecom services started to speak Marathi. Marathi started to be used for bank and government orders as well as other routine affairs. Though this is a long stretched battle, we will certainly inch toward giving the glorious language Marathi her due prestige. It is apt to conclude with the words of Kusumagraj – ‘As a language dies away, so perishes her country… and ceases the flame of her culture’.