‘We’re Blamed For Harassing Biharis, But…’: Raj Thackeray’s Fresh Attack Amid Marathi Language Row
MNS chief Raj Thackeray accused the BJP of maintaining double standards on regional identity and criticised the Maharashtra government for hosting a Gujarati literary meet amid the ongoing Hindi-Marathi debate.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of hypocrisy over the protection of regional culture and language. He pointed out that while the BJP in Gujarat talks about preserving the local language and traditions, any similar stance taken in Maharashtra is painted negatively.
Speaking at a public event in Raigad district, Thackeray alleged that Biharis had been driven out of Gujarat on two occasions, and those responsible for the attacks against them were later inducted into the BJP and even made legislators.
He further said that those speaking in favour of Marathi and regional culture are unfairly labelled as anti-outsider, while such actions are accepted in other states.
“We are always blamed for troubling outsiders because we raise issues related to Hindi and Marathi. But remember, in Gujarat, Biharis were driven out twice. The very people who led those protests, who assaulted them and forced them out, were later brought into the BJP and made MLAs. They maintain discipline in their own state, but in Maharashtra, if someone talks about protecting language and culture, he is maligned,” he said.
Thackeray also took a dig at the Maharashtra government, led by Devendra Fadnavis, for organising a Gujarati Sahitya Sammelan at the state’s expense amidst the ongoing language tensions.
He alleged that the event was arranged intentionally to provoke the MNS into reacting, so the BJP could then take political mileage out of the issue.
“The government is hosting a Gujarati Sahitya Sammelan using public money. They have done this deliberately, hoping we will respond emotionally so they can politicise it. But we will not fall into that trap. However, if we see that the government is taking steps that go against the interests of Maharashtra, we will not stay silent. All of you must remain vigilant and keep an eye on what the government is doing,” he said.
Marathi-Hindi Language Dispute in Maharashtra
Raj Thackeray’s comments come in the backdrop of a rising language debate in Maharashtra. The controversy, particularly prominent in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, was triggered by two government resolutions (GRs) regarding a three-language formula in schools and the compulsory teaching of Hindi from Class I.
After widespread opposition from political parties such as Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS, the Maharashtra government withdrew the GRs.
On July 5, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray appeared together at a pro-Marathi language event in Mumbai, where they jointly voiced their resistance to the “imposition” of Hindi in the state.
Since then, the issue has intensified, with several incidents involving MNS workers being reported across Maharashtra. These include cases of verbal and physical abuse, property damage, and intimidation in public spaces.
Viral videos on social media show MNS members confronting shopkeepers, auto-rickshaw drivers, and even bank staff for not communicating in Marathi. In one instance, a chemist in Mumbai was assaulted and made to publicly apologise for posting a WhatsApp status allegedly insulting the Marathi language. In another case from Pune, a bank manager was slapped during office hours for speaking to customers in Hindi.
