A couple in Mumbai has sparked widespread outrage after a video surfaced showing them allegedly berating a pizza delivery worker for his inability to speak Marathi. The footage, which has gone viral on social media, has reignited discussions about the push for local language use in India’s diverse society, according to Indian media reports.
The incident took place in a suburban area of the city on a recent Monday. Rohit Lavare, the delivery driver, had arrived to drop off an order when the couple began insisting that he converse in Marathi, despite his repeated explanations that he did not know the language.
The couple threatened to withhold payment unless Lavare spoke Marathi. In the video, he asks, “You can’t force me to speak Marathi. But why?” The woman responds, “That’s just how it is here,” to which Lavare replies, “Who says that?”
Lavare later states, “If this was your condition, you shouldn’t have ordered. You don’t want to pay? Fine,” as tensions escalated. At one point, the couple claimed that the food was spoiled, refusing to pay for their order. The woman can also be seen asserting her right to film Lavare while denying him the same privilege.
Ultimately, Lavare left without receiving any payment for the pizza delivery. The video quickly went viral, causing a wave of backlash regarding the enforcement of regional languages.
One social media user expressed, “As a Marathi, I feel embarrassed to see such behavior,” while another noted, “This reflects a significant flaw in Indian society; many people are fixated on undermining fellow Indians. You can’t truly love your country if you don’t respect others.” A third user remarked, “Although I take pride in our state language, this behavior is entirely unacceptable.” Another user simply commented, “Shame.”
