Shillong, July 5: Senior BJP leader and Meghalaya Cabinet Minister A.L. Hek has strongly condemned the recent incident in Mira Road, Maharashtra, where a shopkeeper was allegedly assaulted for refusing to speak in Marathi.
Reacting to the viral video of the incident, Hek said, “One cannot force anyone to speak a particular language in any part of India. It is wrong to enforce the use of only a certain language. Every individual has the right to speak or converse in the language of their choice.”
He emphasised that language is a personal and constitutional right, and no one should dictate how others communicate. “Why should we enforce any language?” Hek questioned. “In our state, Meghalaya, if someone doesn’t speak Khasi or Garo, can we say they are not allowed to speak any other language? That would be completely unacceptable.”
He urged citizens to respect all languages spoken across India, stating, “Languages spoken in India must be accepted by all as citizens of the country.”
He also cautioned against generalising an entire state or community based on the actions of a few. “If this were a state government directive, I would have said it’s wrong. But if it’s an act by a few individuals, how can we blame the entire state?” he said.
On being asked whether such incidents are attempts to divide the country along linguistic lines, Hek acknowledged that certain individuals may hold such divisive views but added, “That doesn’t mean the entire state or the country shares those sentiments.”
The Mira Road incident, allegedly involving members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), has drawn widespread criticism after a video surfaced showing a shopkeeper being pressured to speak in Marathi.
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