As the issue over the use of Marathi in Maharashtra rages on, a passenger on Air India on Thursday, October 23, posted a video where he was threatened by a co-passenger for not speaking the language.
The video, posted on Instagram by @mahinergy (Mahi Khan), captures the confrontation on flight AI676. In the clip, Khan is seen questioning the woman, “Are you asking me to speak in Marathi?” to which she responds, “Yes, please do.” The reason behind the argument remains unclear.
Passenger Refuses to Comply, Faces Threats
Khan is heard saying, “No I won’t speak Marathi.” The woman replies, “You are going to Mumbai, you should know Marathi.” When Khan requested her not to misbehave, she threatened him, saying, “Get down in Mumbai and I will show you what misbehaviour is.”
The confrontation continued in front of the flight attendants, with the woman further stating, “If you don’t know Marathi, sit back down.” An autogenerated caption on Khan’s reel read, “In a country that proudly says unity in diversity. These people are defaming India.”
Social Media Reaction and Call for Action
In his Instagram post, Khan wrote, “I recorded everything because this isn’t just about me, it’s about the mindset that’s growing dangerously normal. You cannot force a language. You cannot buy respect.”
He urged Air India to take strict action against such passengers, suggesting they should be banned, and emphasized that no traveler should feel unsafe or humiliated for speaking a language other than Marathi.