A recent incident at a toll plaza in Washim, Maharashtra, saw Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers causing significant damage to several booths. The chaos erupted when the workers, armed with rods, shattered the glass panes of the Tondgaon toll booths. This act of vandalism was captured in a viral video that has since circulated widely.

Raju Patil Kidse, the district president of MNS, explained that the unrest stemmed from grievances over incomplete road infrastructure. According to Kidse, the road beyond the toll plaza remains unfinished, yet toll collection has already commenced. The party has repeatedly demanded improvements through official memorandums, but their requests have gone unheeded.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of aggressive actions by MNS members. The party has been in the spotlight for a series of assaults, particularly targeting individuals who do not speak Marathi. Last month, a shopkeeper in Mumbai was attacked for not using the Marathi language. The assault was recorded and shared online, showing MNS members threatening Babulal Khimji Chaudhary with further repercussions if he and his staff continued to speak in other languages.

In another case earlier this month, MNS activists targeted the office of investor Sushil Kedia in Worli. This attack was prompted by Kedia’s social media post expressing his reluctance to learn Marathi and challenging party chief Raj Thackeray. Five MNS workers were detained following this incident.

Additionally, a nail artist faced harassment from MNS members after she posted a video supporting non-Marathi speakers. This occurred shortly after the assault on the Mumbai shopkeeper, highlighting ongoing tensions and the party’s aggressive stance on language issues.