New Delhi, July 8 -- High drama played out in Mira Bhayandar in Thane district of Maharashtra during the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) protest over the Marathi language row when Maharashtra Minister Pratap Baburao Sarnaik attempted to join the demonstration but was forcefully driven away by the agitated Thackeray loyalists.

The surprising part of the whole drama was that the Maharashtra minister had broken ranks with his government to come to the MNS protest site. He had also challenged his government, saying that the police can attempt to arrest him, but he would join the protest.

But what he expected as a warm welcome turned into chaos as MNS workers turned on the Maharashtra minister, calling him a "traitor".

For those unfamiliar...