Raj Thackeray loses his fuse over Gujarati electricity bills
It had been done deliberately to fuel a language controversy in the city, alleged party officials.
Mumbai: Reliance Energy’s move to distribute electricity bills in various languages has kicked up a political storm, with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) threatening to start an agitation on the matter.
According to MNS sources, the power company had distributed electricity bills in Gujarati language in Borivali. It had been done deliberately to fuel a language controversy in the city, alleged party officials.
MNS deputy president Nayan Kadam and other leaders called on Reliance Energy officials in Dahisar on Wednesday, and demanded that the company provide the bills only in three languages – Marathi, Hindi and English and withdraw electricity bills in other languages. In a letter to the power company, the MNS has said, “By providing electricity bills in Gujarati, they have insulted the Marathi language. Will you provide electricity bills in Marathi if we demand them in Gujarat or Chennai? The mistake should be corrected immediately. If the controversy is created deliberately, MNS will stage an agitation against it. The company will be solely responsible for circumstances that will rake up due to language dispute.”
A Reliance Energy spokesperson said, “Being a Customer centric organisation, Reliance Energy has been providing, since 2005, four language options viz Marathi, Hindi, English and Gujarati for the Bills of our esteemed customers.”