Tue Jul 08 03:48:51 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

MNS leader Avinash Jadhav was detained in Thane early Tuesday morning ahead of a planned counter-protest in Mira Bhayander. The counter-protest was intended to oppose a demonstration by traders who were protesting the slapping of a food stall owner for not speaking Marathi. Police had denied permission for the MNS rally and issued orders restricting Jadhav’s entry into Mira Bhayander. This action follows the slapping incident, in which seven MNS members were briefly detained, and escalating tensions surrounding language use in Maharashtra.

**News Article:**

**MNS Leader Detained Ahead of Language Protest in Thane**

**Thane, July 8, 2025** – Avinash Jadhav, a prominent leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), was detained by police in Thane early Tuesday morning, just hours before a planned MNS rally in Mira Bhayander. The rally was intended as a counter-protest to a demonstration organized by local traders, who are demanding action after a food stall owner was allegedly slapped for not speaking Marathi.

Police confirmed that permission for the MNS rally, organized by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, was denied due to concerns about potential unrest. Authorities also issued orders on Monday restricting Jadhav’s entry into the Mira Bhayander area. He was taken into custody from his home in Thane at approximately 3:30 a.m. The MNS has released a video on social media condemning the arrest, alleging government oppression of Marathi speakers.

The incident stems from an earlier altercation in which MNS activists allegedly assaulted a food stall owner in Bhayander for not using Marathi. Seven MNS members were briefly detained in connection with that incident.

“Security has been heightened in Mira Bhayander to maintain order, given the denied rally,” stated a police official. This detention underscores ongoing tensions in Maharashtra surrounding language politics. The Hindu has also published an editorial today, entitled “Language of Unity”, that addresses language politics within Maharashtra. The incident raises concerns about free speech and the use of violence in promoting linguistic identity, and it follows other events like The Hindu articles “View From India,” “Karnataka Today,” “First Day First Show,” and “Today’s Cache.”

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