The controversy over Marathi language in Maharashtra has once again become hot. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has reacted sharply to the controversial statement of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. In one of his rally, Raj Thackeray had asked the workers to kill non-Marathi speakers, but advised not to make the video. In response, Dubey challenged the ‘big boss’ without naming and said, “If you have so much courage, then come out of Maharashtra, come to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh or Tamil Nadu, you will beat you.”
Dubey accused the Thackeray brothers (Raj and Uddhav Thackeray) of “cheap politics” before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and said, “You guys are moving on our money.” He also said that he respects the Marathi language and the people of Maharashtra, who fought for the independence of India.
The dispute increased further when MNS workers recently attacked a food stall owner in Bhayander in Thane district for not speaking Marathi. In addition, on Sunday, MNS supporters vandalized the office in Worli, businessman Sushil Kedia, as they challenged Raj Thackeray’s position on the issue of Marathi language.
In his statement, Dubey further challenged the Thackeray brothers and said, “If you have courage, then go in front of the Mahim Dargah and kill Hindi or Urdu speakers.” He also commented, “Even in his house there is a dog, decide who the dog is and who is the lion.”
On this statement, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray retaliated and accused the BJP of adopting a policy of “divide and rule”. He said, “This reflects the BJP’s anti -Maharashtra mentality. We have asked everyone not to answer such dirty and crazy minds.” At the same time, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi questioned who gave Nishikant Dubey the right to decide what other party leaders should do.
Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe Patil also termed Dubey’s statement as “silly” and said that the dispute is not about the language, but on the issue of implementing two other languages besides mother tongue.
The dispute began when Raj and Uddhav Thackeray organized a joint rally in Mumbai after the Maharashtra government announced the withdrawal of the three-language policy. In this rally, Raj Thackeray’s statement accused Hindi and other non-Marathi speakers of promoting violence.
