'Why should I speak in Marathi': Airtel store employee's rant sparks row in Maharashtra

'Every manager and employee in your galleries must be proficient in Marathi, and recruitment should prioritise individuals fluent in the language,' BJP MLC Chitra Wagh said in her message to the telecom company.

Mumbai: BJP MLC Chitra Wagh on Wednesday called for promoting the use of local language in Maharashtra, a statement which comes after a video of a female employee of a prominent telecom company purportedly refusing to interact with a customer in Marathi went viral.

Wagh, who also heads the women's wing of Maharashtra BJP, stressed the importance of Marathi language, saying, "If one resides in Maharashtra, they must know Marathi. If they don't, they should at least be willing to learn and respect the language".

Referring to the viral video, she said there has been an instance of "arrogance and rudeness at the Airtel gallery" by a female employee and demanded immediate action against her.

"Moreover, going forward, every manager and employee in your galleries must be proficient in Marathi, and recruitment should prioritise individuals fluent in the language," she said in her message to the telecom company.

There was no immediate official reaction from the company but officials termed it as an unfortunate incident and said necessary measures have been taken.

The controversial video shot by an unidentified person shows that a local Airtel gallery in Mumbai did not resolve his complaint and resorted to unpleasant behaviour.

In the video, the employee reportedly asked, "Why should I speak in Marathi? Where is it written to speak Marathi in Maharashtra? You should speak to me properly." As the senior staff reached the outlet, the woman was seen saying, "Marathi is not important to me. We live in Hindustan and anyone can use any language.

"Why should I speak in Marathi? Have you bought, or do you own Maharashtra? Are you going to tell me where to work and not to work? Recording is not allowed, or I will call the police." The customer replied, "on the one hand, you are not addressing my problems, and on the other hand, you are not even talking to me properly.” He alleged that the staff member had screamed at him and neglected to address his grievances.