What began as a verbal disagreement over a seat on a local train in Mumbai escalated into a significant ‘Marathi vs Hindi’ confrontation between two groups of passengers, with one woman instructing another group of female passengers to either speak Marathi or “leave.”

The incident occurred within a packed local train compartment on the Central Line of Maharashtra’s capital, where two groups of women were seen embroiled in a verbal altercation. A video capturing the incident has also emerged online.

The 17-second clip, which has gone viral, depicted several women involved in a heated exchange inside the crowded compartment.

The footage starts with a woman, who is not visible on camera, verbally attacking another group of passengers. One of the women participating in the dispute can be heard stating, “If you want to live in Mumbai, speak Marathi, or else get out.” The other group of women is also shown participating in the confrontation.

Railway authorities have reportedly verified the occurrence and indicated that it took place in the ladies’ compartment of a train operated by Central Railways.

However, as per India Today, no formal complaint has been filed regarding the incident.

While verbal disagreements and minor conflicts are not unusual in the overcrowded Mumbai local trains, this particular incident intensified over the Marathi language amidst the ongoing language debate in Maharashtra.

The state has recently experienced heightened political tensions surrounding the ‘Marathi vs Hindi’ controversy, with parties such as the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) bringing the issue to the forefront ahead of the civic elections in the state.

Recently, a shopkeeper in Vikroli, Mumbai, was reportedly attacked by MNS workers for posting a WhatsApp status that was deemed “insulting to the Marathi community.”

In a related incident, MNS members were filmed allegedly assaulting a food stall owner in Thane for not communicating in Marathi. Another shopkeeper was also attacked at Mira Road in Mumbai over a similar matter. An autorickshaw driver faced assault for not speaking in Marathi.