Marathi Signboard Row Heats Up as Sena Warns Businesses of Action

Mumbai’s political landscape witnessed fresh controversy after the city’s Deputy Mayor warned shops, hotels and commercial establishments to install Marathi signboards within a month or face “Shiv Sena-style” action.

The warning came from Sanjay Ghadi following a meeting with officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s shops and establishments department. Ghadi stressed that displaying Marathi signboards in Devanagari script is mandatory under existing rules and Supreme Court directives, adding that the regulation applies equally to roadside shops, luxury outlets, five-star hotels and celebrity-owned businesses.

The Shiv Sena leader said establishments failing to comply within the deadline would invite strict action, while also cautioning civic officials against lax enforcement. Referring to directions from party chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Ghadi warned that Sena workers would step in if businesses continued to ignore the rule.

According to civic officials, Mumbai has nearly nine lakh registered establishments, of which more than 5,000 are yet to implement Marathi signboards. The BMC has already initiated penal action against over 3,100 establishments and collected fines worth Rs 1.91 crore.

BMC law committee chairperson Diksha Karkar said notices would be served to all remaining violators and reports on enforcement would be reviewed within 15 days. Further action is expected after the one-month deadline ends.

The development has once again pushed Maharashtra’s language politics into the spotlight. Marathi identity has long remained central to Shiv Sena’s political ideology, with the party frequently championing the use of the regional language in public life and commerce.

However, the use of the phrase “Shiv Sena-style” has also sparked debate, with critics arguing that such warnings could be interpreted as political intimidation rather than routine enforcement. Supporters of the move, meanwhile, maintain that ensuring Marathi visibility in Mumbai’s public spaces is essential to preserving the cultural identity of Maharashtra’s capital.