Raj Thackeray calls off agitation to enforce Marathi

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray on Saturday asked his party workers to stop the agitation to enforce use of Marathi in banks and other establishments for the time being as 'we have created enough awareness on the issue'.

In a letter to party workers, Thackeray said the agitation has shown the consequences of not following Reserve Bank of India norms on use of local language.

'There is no issue in halting this agitation now because we have created enough awareness on the issue,' Thackeray said.

'Halt the agitation for the time being but do not let focus go away from it. I urge the government to see that the law is followed. Wherever the law is not followed, wherever Marathi manoos are taken for granted or face insult, the MNS will go for discussion with them,' Thackeray warned.

His instructions to party workers come a day after the United Forum of Bank Unions wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stating that people claiming to be MNS activists have been visiting bank branches and intimidating staff.

"Their demand is that all display boards be exclusively in Marathi and that all officials must speak only in Marathi," the United Forum of Bank Unions letter to Fadnavis said.

It added that bank officials have been threatened and assaulted.

Following this, Fadnavis on Friday warned of strict action against people taking law into their own hands.

Thackeray said it is the responsibility of the government to implement RBI rules.

"We will not allow anyone to take law in their hands but it's also not our desire to do so. Since you are the protector of the law, should you not implement the RBI rules on this," Thackeray said.

On Thursday, MNS members secured an assurance from the manager of a private bank in Thane to install Marathi signage at their branch, and removed an English board.

At his Gudi Padwa rally on March 30, Thackeray reiterated his party's stand of making Marathi mandatory for official purposes.

He warned that those who don't speak the language deliberately will be 'slapped'.