Mumbai: A passenger on an Air India flight was threatened by a fellow traveler for refusing to speak Marathi, sparking outrage online and raising concerns about linguistic intolerance. The incident occurred on flight AI676 on Thursday, October 23, and was captured on video by the passenger, who shared it on Instagram.
Confrontation caught on camera
In the video, posted by Instagram user @mahinergy (Mahi Khan), the passenger is seen questioning the woman confronting him, asking, “Are you asking me to speak in Marathi?” The woman insists, “Yes, please do,” though the reason behind her demand remains unclear.
When Khan refused, saying, “No I won’t speak Marathi,” the woman reportedly replied, “You are going to Mumbai, you should know Marathi.” She further threatened him, saying, “Get down in Mumbai and I will show you what misbehaviour is.”
The altercation continued in the presence of flight attendants, with the woman 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
Khan expressed concern over the incident in his Instagram post, highlighting that it was not just a personal attack but indicative of a troubling mindset. “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 wrote.
He urged Air India to take strict action against passengers who harass fellow travelers over language and suggested that such individuals should face bans to ensure no one feels unsafe or humiliated for speaking a language other than Marathi.
The video has since gone viral, prompting discussions about the growing tensions surrounding the use of regional languages in Maharashtra and the importance of respecting linguistic diversity in public spaces