A viral video showing Ulhas Bhoir, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Kalyan president, slapping a gaming zone employee in Thane district has ignited widespread condemnation. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at a gaming center in Kalyan, 57 km from Mumbai, stems from complaints that schoolchildren were skipping classes and stealing money to play at the facility. The assault, captured on camera, has fueled debates over MNS’s aggressive tactics and raised questions about addressing truancy through violence.
In the video, Bhoir confronts the employee, accusing the gaming zone of enabling truancy by allowing students in school uniforms to enter. He claims some children stole Rs 4,000 from their parents to fund their visits, citing one boy’s declining academic performance as evidence of the facility’s negative impact. When the employee responds that he cannot control who enters, Bhoir, visibly enraged, slaps him and issues a “final warning,” threatening to shut down the gaming zone if students are found there again. “Don’t ruin this generation,” Bhoir is heard saying, alleging that parents had approached him with complaints about their children’s behavior.
Speaking to media later, Bhoir defended his actions, stating that the gaming zone was explicitly instructed not to admit students. He claimed the facility’s negligence was harming young students, justifying his confrontation as a response to parental concerns. However, the video, widely circulated on social media, has drawn sharp criticism, with netizens and activists condemning Bhoir’s use of physical violence and public intimidation. One X user called it “bullying under the guise of reform,” while another labeled MNS’s actions “thuggery for headlines.”
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The incident adds to a string of controversies involving MNS, a regional party led by Raj Thackeray, known for its Hindutva and Marathi-centric ideology. In recent months, MNS workers have been implicated in assaults on non-Marathi-speaking shopkeepers in Thane, Mumbai, and Pune, often over language disputes. On July 1, 2025, seven MNS members were detained for slapping a shopkeeper in Mira Road for speaking Hindi, though they were released on bail due to lenient charges. Another incident in March 2025 saw MNS workers assault a Mumbai supermarket employee for refusing to speak Marathi. These actions, often filmed and shared online, have drawn accusations of linguistic chauvinism and vigilantism.
Thane police have yet to receive a formal complaint regarding the gaming zone incident but are verifying the video’s authenticity. Senior Inspector Rajendra Kambale of Kashimira Police Station stated that investigations are ongoing to establish the sequence of events. The lack of a formal complaint echoes similar MNS-related cases, where victims hesitate to pursue legal action due to fear of retaliation.
The controversy coincides with MNS’s broader campaign against non-Marathi signage and language use, including the removal of Gujarati signboards along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway in July 2025. Raj Thackeray’s push for Marathi dominance, including his opposition to Hindi in Maharashtra’s schools, has fueled tensions, with critics arguing that such actions alienate non-Marathi residents and undermine social harmony. The party’s declining electoral success—winning only one seat in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections and none in 2024—has led analysts to suggest that these high-profile stunts are attempts to regain political relevance ahead of upcoming civic polls.
As public outrage grows, the incident highlights the delicate balance between addressing social issues like truancy and resorting to unlawful vigilantism. Calls for stricter action against MNS workers are mounting, with traders and residents urging authorities to curb such aggressive behavior to prevent further escalation in Maharashtra’s polarized political landscape.
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