Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday that Marathi is the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra and anyone living here should learn and speak it. This was stated after a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA pointing to the RSS leader’s remarks.
Fadnavis was speaking on the demand of Shiv Sena (UBT) member Bhaskar Jadhav in the state assembly, in which he asked the government to clarify his stand on the comment of senior Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Suresh Bhaiyaji Joshi’s comment, in which he said that the person coming to Mumbai does not have to learn Marathi.
Joshi had said, “There is no one language in Mumbai. There are many languages here. Some regions have their own language. Ghatkopar has a Gujarati. In Girgaon you will find less Hindi speakers and Marathi speakers. So it is easy that anyone coming to Mumbai learn Marathi, it is not necessary.”
When Jadhav sought an answer from the government in the assembly, Fadnavis said, “I did not hear what Bhaiyaji said, but the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra is Marathi.”
He said, “Everyone should learn Marathi and speak language.”
The Chief Minister said that his government also respects other languages. Fadnavis said, “If you love your language and respect it, you should do the same with other languages. I am sure Bhaiyaji will agree with me.”
Earlier, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claimed that Joshi’s comment is similar to treason and an insult to Maharashtra.
Raut said in a conversation with reporters, “Marathi is our state language and such a statement is similar to treason. This statement is treason.”
The Rajya Sabha member challenged Chief Minister Fadnavis and his Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar to condemn Joshi’s statement and pass a resolution in the state assembly on the matter.
Raut described it as a serious issue and said that Joshi decides on the policies and goals of Mumbai. The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the comment is more serious than the Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi praising the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
Raut said, “The leader came to Mumbai and said that the language here is not Marathi. Can the Chief Minister of the state and the Council of Ministers be tolerated? Can he speak like this in Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai, Ludhiana, Patna or Bengaluru, Trivendrum or Hyderabad?”
Raut claimed, “But he comes to Maharashtra and its capital and says that its language is not Marathi. It is Gujarati or any other language and there is no need to know any other language. Is there 106 martyrs (in the United Maharashtra movement in the United Maharashtra movement) sacrificed their lives to hear this?”
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader asked, “Is it not an insult to Marathi language and Marathi pride? Joshi has no right to insult Marathi language after coming to Mumbai. How can anyone dare to say so … because the state has a government run by helpless people and Marathi malice.”
Raut said, “Shiv Sena (UBT) will not tolerate it.”
