Mumbai:Ahead of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has again revived its pro-Marathi agenda as the party activists on Monday stormed the office of Hotstar demanding Marathi commentary for the cricket matches aired by the streaming platform.
The MNS workers led by Ameya Khopkar, who is also the president of party’s film wing MNS Chitrapat Sena, protested in the Hotstar office located at Lower Parel in Mumbai and demanded that viewers should be made available the option of commentary in Marathi language. They refused to leave the office till the online platform officials gave a written assurance in this regard. This resulted in an altercation, triggering tension in the building, following which police were deployed.
“We haven’t come to meet, but we have come to threaten. There is no bigger tragedy than to agitate for the use of Marathi language in Maharashtra. Why do we have to always fight for Marathi language in Maharashtra?” asked Khopkar.
“We have clearly told them that until we get a written assurance about the Marathi commentary on Hotstar. They had commentary in Tamil. Telugu, Haryanvi, Punjabi and Kannada are all languages. So why not Marathi?” he asked.
Khopkar alleged that Hotstar claimed their Marathi commentary has few subscribers. “We have told them that such excuses won't work,” the MNS leader said.
Khopkar claimed that Hotstar has agreed and has given us a letter agreeing to start Marathi commentary for the upcoming ICC Trophy.
“The ICC Champions Trophy is starting soon and they have assured that there will be commentary in Marathi on Hotstar. I request the Marathi audience that we should also use Marathi while watching the match,” he said.
Rakesh Dhotre from the Hotstar told the MNS activists that plans were already in store to provide commentary in Marathi and it will soon be implemented.
In 2020, MNS workers had allegedly targeted online shopping platform Amazon for not including Marathi on its posters and on its app and website.
