While Maharashtra is still seeing rising unrest regarding linguistic identity, a video from Haryana has gone viral for its inspiring message of togetherness. The video, which shows an affectionate exchange between a Haryanvi man and a Marathi-speaking laborer, is making people’s hearts melt online for being a beacon of unity in diversity, just the opposite of the recent cases of language-based aggression in Mumbai.
What the Viral Video Depicts
Posted on Instagram by @notthatmanusharma, the clip begins on a tense-sounding note. The content creator goes up to many of the laborers on what looks like farmland in Haryana and says, “Who is from Maharashtra? Call him.” One man comes forward, claiming to be from Nashik, Maharashtra.
The Haryanvi man pokes him then, telling him, “Talk in Haryanvi.” When the Marathi laborer confesses he doesn’t speak the language, the atmosphere becomes heavy for a moment. But it changes again in an instant, he smiles, hugs the laborer, and says, “If you don’t work here, who will? This is your country…do whatever you like. This is India, Bharat.”
Audience Responds to the Tender Moment
The short but poignant interaction has struck a chord with citizens of India. Numerous viewers appreciated the Haryanvi man for making fear transform into acceptability in a matter of seconds. “Seen this several times since yesterday. Fear turned to freedom in seconds,” one user said. Another stated, “Haryana ki izzat aur badha di bhai sahab,” paying homage to the gesture.
This is at a time when Maharashtra is struggling with an increasing number of cases of intimidation in the interest of linguistic pride. Only last week, a different Mumbai video depicted Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists intimidating a shopkeeper for failing to communicate in Marathi.
In the video, they threaten him, “If you will not talk in Marathi, we will beat you up, burn your shop, and run you away. You do not belong here if you can’t learn the language.”
