Suspected Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists attacked galleries of mobile companies Airtel and Aircel in Bandra and Thane on Tuesday for not using Marathi in their customer interactive voice systems (CIVS).
Following the attacks, both companies agreed to launch the option by midnight. CIVS tells a caller if the person she has called is busy, not reachable, or has switched off the phone.
Another officer said the police will call for questioning Akhil Chitre of the MNS, who had given a letter to the Airtel franchisee in Bandra to demand the use of Marathi in the CIVS.
The attacks were carried out within an hour of MNS president Raj Thackeray asking his men to take action against Airtel. �Air chi tail khecha [pull Air�s tail],� Thackeray had remarked at a party meeting in Matunga.
Chitre said, �We had demanded that they include Marathi in their voice message system. They started a Marathi call centre, which is welcome, but our original demand was not met.�
Both companies have agreed to use Marathi in the CIVS. Seema Pai, an Aircel official, said Marathi is the second language on their CIVS but they will make it the first option soon.