NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday issued a strong warning in the midst of a deepening language row in Maharashtra, saying any insult to Marathi or the state will not be tolerated.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader’s comments come just hours after a controversial assault on a sweet shop owner in Mira Road, allegedly carried out by men affiliated with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), for refusing to speak in Marathi.
“We want that our mother tongue Marathi is not insulted and no language is forcefully imposed,” Thackeray said in Mumbai. “We don't want anybody to take the law into their hands, but when it is the other way round and Marathi or Maharashtra is insulted, things can escalate...”
Aaditya Thackeray’s comments came just hours after a fresh video from Thane went viral, allegedly showing traders being assaulted at former MP Rajan Vichare’s office for not speaking Marathi.
Seeking to calm tensions, Thackeray distanced the incident from the ongoing Marathi versus Hindi debate. “I talked to Rajan Vichare ji on the video, and he told me that this is neither about Marathi and non-Marathi, nor about Maharashtra and North India, nor about any community or society. An official had gone into the shop to charge his phone and he wasn't allowed to do so, which led to a fight and the person was beaten... A lady saved the person... This has gone into a police complaint...” he said.
The warning follows a viral video showing shop owner Babulal Khimji Chaudhary being attacked after his staff responded in Hindi to a group of men. The accused reportedly objected to this and demanded that Marathi be spoken. When Chaudhary explained that his workers were from other states, the situation worsened.
Also read: 'Speak Marathi in Maharashtra,' says Minister after shopkeeper thrashed in Thane
He told police that the men became aggressive when he responded that all languages are spoken in Maharashtra. An FIR has been registered against seven unidentified individuals.
While the MNS has not denied the involvement of its workers, it has justified the incident by accusing the shop owner of arrogance. “The owner was arrogant and said that all languages are spoken in Maharashtra. This triggered the argument,” an MNS office-bearer said, adding that their party members were celebrating the state government’s withdrawal of a controversial language policy when the altercation occurred.
The political backdrop to this row is the recent decision by the Maharashtra government to cancel a plan that would have made Hindi a compulsory third language in primary schools. The move had sparked backlash from opposition parties including Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS and NCP (SP), who accused the government of trying to impose Hindi on Marathi students. Following pressure, the government rolled back the resolution.
Uddhav Thackeray praised the rollback as a victory for the "Marathi manoos" and urged that Marathi be developed as a language of global knowledge. He accused the government of attempting to create divisions between Marathis and non-Marathis.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader’s comments come just hours after a controversial assault on a sweet shop owner in Mira Road, allegedly carried out by men affiliated with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), for refusing to speak in Marathi.
“We want that our mother tongue Marathi is not insulted and no language is forcefully imposed,” Thackeray said in Mumbai. “We don't want anybody to take the law into their hands, but when it is the other way round and Marathi or Maharashtra is insulted, things can escalate...”
Aaditya Thackeray’s comments came just hours after a fresh video from Thane went viral, allegedly showing traders being assaulted at former MP Rajan Vichare’s office for not speaking Marathi.
Seeking to calm tensions, Thackeray distanced the incident from the ongoing Marathi versus Hindi debate. “I talked to Rajan Vichare ji on the video, and he told me that this is neither about Marathi and non-Marathi, nor about Maharashtra and North India, nor about any community or society. An official had gone into the shop to charge his phone and he wasn't allowed to do so, which led to a fight and the person was beaten... A lady saved the person... This has gone into a police complaint...” he said.
The warning follows a viral video showing shop owner Babulal Khimji Chaudhary being attacked after his staff responded in Hindi to a group of men. The accused reportedly objected to this and demanded that Marathi be spoken. When Chaudhary explained that his workers were from other states, the situation worsened.
Also read: 'Speak Marathi in Maharashtra,' says Minister after shopkeeper thrashed in Thane
He told police that the men became aggressive when he responded that all languages are spoken in Maharashtra. An FIR has been registered against seven unidentified individuals.
While the MNS has not denied the involvement of its workers, it has justified the incident by accusing the shop owner of arrogance. “The owner was arrogant and said that all languages are spoken in Maharashtra. This triggered the argument,” an MNS office-bearer said, adding that their party members were celebrating the state government’s withdrawal of a controversial language policy when the altercation occurred.
The political backdrop to this row is the recent decision by the Maharashtra government to cancel a plan that would have made Hindi a compulsory third language in primary schools. The move had sparked backlash from opposition parties including Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS and NCP (SP), who accused the government of trying to impose Hindi on Marathi students. Following pressure, the government rolled back the resolution.
Uddhav Thackeray praised the rollback as a victory for the "Marathi manoos" and urged that Marathi be developed as a language of global knowledge. He accused the government of attempting to create divisions between Marathis and non-Marathis.
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