MNS workers remove Gujarati signboards of hotels along Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers on Thursday forcibly removed Gujarati signboards of several hotels along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway in Thane and Palghar districts, demanding Marathi signage.

The Palghar district of Maharashtra shares border with Gujarat.

The agitation came soon after a row over Hindi being made mandatory at primary schools in the state.

MNS supporters smashed the Gujarati board of a hotel near Haloli village, local sources said.

Several hotels covered their Gujarati boards with black cloth, they said.

The MNS had earlier launched an agitation against English signboards in Mumbai and Thane, pointing out that as per state regulations, it is mandatory for businesses operating in Maharashtra to display signboards in Marathi in prominent font, irrespective of any other language used.

When contacted, the local police said they have not received any complaint regarding the action by MNS activists.