Instruct banks to use Marathi or MNS will intensify stir: Raj Thackeray in letter to IBA

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray has asked the apex banks body to instruct banks to use Marathi in its services as mandated by the norms of the RBI or else his party will intensify its agitation.

In a letter to the Indian Banks Association, submitted by MNS leaders on Wednesday, Thackeray also said banks will be responsible for law and order if they do not conform to the three language formula, --- English, Hindi and the local language (Marathi in case of Maharashtra), in its services.

"You give necessary instructions to the banks to use Marathi (in its services) or else MNS will intensify its agitation and after that the law and order responsibility lies with the concerned banks," Thackeray said in the letter to the IBA.

The letter stated that the Reserve Bank of India had issued a circular over the use of regional languages in public sector and private banks.

Accordingly, the boards in the banks should be in three languages --- Hindi, English and the regional language of that state. Even the services should be in three languages, the letter said.

The move comes after Thackeray on Saturday asked his party workers to stop the agitation to enforce use of Marathi in banks and other establishments for the time being as "we have created enough awareness on the issue".

Following the agitation, the United Forum of Bank Unions wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stating that people claiming to be MNS activists have been visiting bank branches and intimidating staff.

At his Gudi Padwa rally on March 30, Thackeray reiterated his party's stand of making Marathi mandatory for official purposes. He warned that those who don't speak the language deliberately will be "slapped".