Maharashtra’s banning spree continues. This time it was the state’s transport commissioner Mahesh Zagade banning the iconic phrase “Horn Ok Please” from trucks, ostensibly because it encourages people from honking.
The origin of the phrase is not clear but there are a lot of theories.
One story goes that it all originated with the detergent OK. According to the legend, when the TATA Group, held the monopoly over the manufacture of trucks, slapped the word ‘OK’ on the back of all its vehicles. The term evolved from there into “Horn Ok Please”.
Another theory is that a light used to be embedded in the word ‘OK’ on trucks. Whenever the driver turned it on, it would indicate to the vehicle behind that it is okay to overtake.
Yet another story is that the phrase was just Horn, Please. The word OK was added later in bold letters.
Whatever the intentions of the Maharashtra government, people on social media reacted with scorn, fury and sarcasm.
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