Raj Thackeray meets CM Shinde to discuss Marathi signboards, toll collection

MNS chief Raj Thackeray with CM Shinde/ X

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray held talks with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde regarding the concerns surrounding toll collection and the presence of Marathi signboards at shops across the state, as reported on Saturday, stated a PTI report.

According to the report, a statement released by the chief minister's office (CMO) stated that the meeting took place at Varsha, the official residence of the chief minister.

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"Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray came to Varsha's residence today and met me. In this meeting, the issue of toll booths in the state and the implementation and punitive action of the decision of the Supreme Court regarding the installation of Marathi boards on the shops were mainly discussed," CM Shinde posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The PTI report further stated that Thackeray had recently voiced criticism towards the state government and alleged that there was a lack of adherence to a Supreme Court directive mandating the display of Marathi signboards in shops and establishments. He accused the ruling Mahayuti coalition of merely paying lip service to Marathi and Hindutva matters. The party had also warned that they would protest if all shops and establishments did not put up Marathi signboards.

Reportedly, earlier, the Supreme Court had set a two-month deadline (concluding on November 25) for shop owners to install Marathi signboards, imposing a daily penalty of Rs 2,000 for non-compliance. Raj Thackeray and his party had previously raised concerns about toll-collection practices in the state as well.

Meanwhile, the Pune police have filed a case against the president of the local MNS unit and party members for allegedly causing damage to shops lacking Marathi signboards, an official told PTI on Saturday.

The party had reportedly staged protests on Friday across various parts of Pune like Tilak Road, and JM Road and pointed out the absence of Marathi signage in multiple shops and videos of the protest were circulated on social media.

According to the report, during the protests, members of the Raj Thackeray-led party threw stones and vandalised the English signboards of several shops, including those retailing multinational brands.

Nine individuals, among them the city unit president Sainath Babar, are named in the case under section 143 for unlawful assembly, along with other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Mumbai Police Act, as per the official statement.

With PTI inputs