NCP wants Mumbai's 5-star hotels to show Marathi news channels

State NCP working president Jitendra Awhad has written to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar about the "secondary treatment" by these hotels to Marathi.u00a0

"Be it Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad or Nashik. The five star hotels there should show Marathi TV programmes. After all, Marathi is the state language. You show news bulletins of all languages in these hotels...Italian, French, Spanish. Then why this allergy to Marathi," Awhad told reporters here today.

These hotels cannot ignore the state language, Awhad said. "Why should one presume that those living in five-star hotels won't like to watch Marathi news channels or programmes?" he asked.

Demonstration by NCP. Representational pic

Earlier this month, speaking at the inauguration of the new RTO building in Andheri here, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had asked the transport department to ensure that the maximum number of permits for autorickshaws and taxis are issued to those from Maharashtra.

"Those from Mumbai, Thane and particularly, the sons of mill workers should be given priority while issuing the permits. This has to be done to prevent people from raising emotional issues," the senior NCP leader had said.
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