MNS workers protest over LIC forms not giving Marathi option to customers

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers on Thursday staged a protest outside the office of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) in Kandivali in north Mumbai alleging forms did not give customers the option of Marathi.

Hemant Pangirkar, president of MNS' Kandivali East assembly constituency, said LIC did not give the option of using Marathi in the forms even as the Centre has granted the language classical status and the Maharashtra government has made its use compulsory.

The earlier forms had an option of Gujarati and English, he said, adding the Kandivali office hid the forms when a grievance regarding this went viral on social media.

On Thursday, the forms were in English only, he said and sought an apology from LIC.

The development comes on the heels of a controversy triggered by a viral video showing a woman employee of a prominent telecom company purportedly refusing to interact with a customer in Marathi.