Passenger Confronted on Air India Flight for Not Speaking Marathi Shares His Ordeal

Mahi Khan recounted his experience on an Air India flight where he was pressured to speak Marathi by a fellow passenger.

New Delhi:

A disturbing incident occurred on an Air India flight to Mumbai when a passenger attempted to coerce another traveler into speaking Marathi if he wished to remain in Mumbai. The confrontation, which was captured on video, involved a woman repeatedly demanding that her co-passenger communicate in Marathi.

In an interview with NDTV, Mahi Khan, the passenger who found himself cornered mid-flight with no escape from the situation, shared his experience.

"I requested assistance from the crew, but their response was minimal. Air India has not yet taken any action regarding this passenger," he stated. "We often speak about unity in diversity. Why don't we actually practice unity in real life?"

Khan mentioned that he has numerous Marathi friends, none of whom have ever pressured him to speak any specific language. "All languages possess beauty when spoken with genuine intent," he added.

According to Khan, it was an early 6:25 am flight for which he had awakened at 4:30 am. After boarding and takeoff, he wanted to recline his seat slightly.

"When I pressed the recline button, a bottle on the tray of the woman seated behind me fell. She yelled at me in Marathi, which I couldn't understand," Khan explained.

"I turned to her and said 'sorry ma'am'. She continued speaking in Marathi, which I couldn't comprehend. I asked if she could communicate in Hindi or English so I could respond appropriately. I wasn't sure if she was reprimanding me or telling me something else," Khan said.

The situation escalated when the woman pointed out that he was traveling to Mumbai yet couldn't speak Marathi.

Khan, a YouTube influencer, happens to have strong opinions on what he terms "language wars." He had even created a video addressing this issue six months prior.

"I had conducted extensive research on this topic, and when the person began insisting I speak Marathi again, I started recording with my phone. I inquired whether speaking Marathi was mandatory. She shouted that since I was going to Mumbai, I must speak Marathi," Khan recounted.

Subsequently, Khan called for crew assistance, after which the woman allegedly threatened to "show what misbehavior means" upon landing in Mumbai.

"Despite her hostile tone, I didn't argue with her... when the crew arrived, I explained the entire situation... I asked if speaking Marathi was mandatory on Air India flights. The crew confirmed it was not. I then questioned why she was behaving inappropriately toward me, which you can hear in the video. She replied that she would tell me in Marathi once we landed in Mumbai," Khan told NDTV.

The YouTuber has resided in Mumbai for nearly four years and has many Marathi friends.

"They have never behaved in such a manner. They always communicate in Hindi or English. There have been instances when I've attempted to learn Marathi... If you encourage someone to learn your regional language, it should be done with a welcoming approach. Only then will people develop an interest in understanding your language. Forcing your language upon others will only create negative perceptions of it," Khan explained.

"India has a Statue of Unity. Why aren't we practicing unity in reality? Why are we creating divisions based on geographic origins—Mumbai, Lucknow, Calcutta? This is what constitutes discrimination," he told NDTV.

Maharashtra has recently witnessed multiple incidents where locals have compelled people from outside the state to speak Marathi. Some individuals have faced physical threats and assaults over this issue.