Three-language policy precursor to separate Mumbai plan: Raj at joint rally with Uddhav
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
22 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"Distressing": Ashish Shelar compares Pahalgam terror attack to Marathi-Hindi row
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 6 (ANI): Amid the political sparring over Hindi imposition charge by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar on Sunday compared the agony of the Pahalgam terror attack, where Hindus were killed in the name of religion, and those getting 'beaten up' in the name of language. He said that these incidents were distressing for him. 'All these incidents cause pain, suffering, and mental distress. In Pahalgam, they shot them after asking about their religion. And here, they beat up the innocent Hindus just because of the language they speak. Such cases create a disturbance,' Shelar said. His remarks come after some incidents of violence and vandalism were reported in the state amid the ongoing Hindi-Marathi controversy. Five workers of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) were arrested in connection with the vandalism at entrepreneur Sushil Kedia's office in Worli, police said on Saturday. A case has been registered against them under Sections 223, 189(2), 189(3), 190, 191(2), 191(3), and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Kedia, who found himself in the middle of the language row in Maharashtra over his recent remarks against MNS and its chief Raj Thackeray, stated that he made these comments in haste and has now realised his mistake. In another incident, as per a viral video, a group of men allegedly associated with a regional party beat up a shop owner for not speaking in Marathi. The incident occurred in the Mira-Bhayandar area near Mumbai. On Friday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis warned of strict legal action against those engaging in 'hooliganism' in the name of Marathi. He said that the Mahayuti government will not tolerate violence against commoners. Although the Maharashtra government withdrew its April 16 orders on the implementation of the three-language policy that made Hindi a 'mandatory' third language for school students in Classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi medium schools, the political controversy over the same has brought together long-time estranged Thackeray cousins after nearly two decades. Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday shared the stage together at the Worli Dome in Mumbai as they held a joint rally in protest against the 'Hindi imposition'. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
'Where were your warriors': Ex-commando, part of 26/11 operations, slams Raj Thackeray amid Marathi row
Former MARCOS commando Praveen Teotia questioned Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, asking where his 'warriors' were during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray, with his brother and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray, in Mumbai on Saturday.(ANI) Teotia, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, played a crucial role in clearing out the terrorists who had taken over Mumbai's Taj Hotel, saving over 150 lives. His comments come amid the language row in Maharashtra, which saw MNS workers assaulting a shopkeeper for allegedly not speaking Marathi. Taking to social media platform X, Teotia shared a photo of himself smiling in commando gear and said that a smile doesn't require any language. 'I saved Mumbai on 26/11. I bleed for Maharashtra. I'm from UP. I saved the Taj Hotel. Where were Raj Thakre's so Called Warriors? Don't divide the Nation. Smiles don't require any Language,' Teotia wrote in the post. Praveen Teotia reportedly led his team in the evacuation of the Taj Hotel during the 26/11 attacks and was hit by four bullets during the operation. Raj Thackeray says 'slap but don't make a video' During his reunion rally with Shiv Sena (UBT) supremo and cousin Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai's Worli Dome on Saturday, Raj Thackeray asked MNS workers not to make a video if they assault anyone over the Marathi language. 'Be it a Gujarati or anyone else here, must know Marathi, but there is no need to beat people for that if they don't speak Marathi. Yet, if someone does some drama, you must hit them below their eardrums,' Thackeray said. He followed up with advice: 'If you beat someone, don't make a video of the incident. Let the person beaten up tell that he has been beaten up; you don't need to tell everyone.' Uddhav Thackeray also addressed criticism about the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers slapping and intimidating people, including street vendors, over their not speaking in Marathi. 'Yes, we are goons; if we have to be goons to get justice, we will do goondagiri,' he said.
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
‘Overreacted': What Maha investor said in apology over ‘won't learn Marathi' remark after office vandalised
Maharashtra businessman Sushil Kedia, whose office in Worli was vandalised by workers of Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), said he was withdrawing from his 'overreaction', the comments he made on the party chief amid reports of common citizens of the state getting targeted over a lack of proficiency in the Marathi language. Mumbai Police deployed security outside Sushil Kedia's Worli office after MNS party workers attacked the premises in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, July 5. (Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) Five workers of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) were arrested on Saturday in connection with the vandalism at Sushil Kedia's office in Worli. A case was registered against them under Sections 223, 189(2), 189(3), 190, 191(2), 191(3), and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. What happened Office of Sushil Kedia, a prominent investor, was vandalised by MNS workers a day after he had challenged Raj Thackeray in a post on social media platform X and said that he will not learn Marathi as a protest against 'gross misconduct' of the MNS chief. 'I don't know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai & with your gross misconduct I have made it a resolve that until such people as you are allowed to pretend to be taking care of Marathi Manus I take pratigya I won't learn Marathi. Kya karna hai bol?' Kedia had posted on X. MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande responded, advising Kedia to focus on his business. 'Do business if you're a businessman; don't try to act like our father. If you insult Marathi in Maharashtra, you'll get a slap on the ear, otherwise, stay in your lane, Mehta or whoever. That's all for now.' Deshpande posted on X. After Deshpande's post, Kedia approached police, claiming he was getting threats for his social media post. 'We contacted Kedia after he tagged Mumbai Police in his post,' a police official said. On Friday, Kedia posted another message on X. 'Shri @RajThackeray threatening me by 100s of your workers is not going to make me a fluent Marathi speaker. If I am not confident of the quality of Marathi I can speak, with so much threatening around even more fear happens that if I miss speaking any word(s) improperly more violence will happen. Get the point. Love, not threat makes people get assimilated together,' his post read. 'Please note @CPMumbaiPolice @Dev_Fadnavis open threats of violence are being issued by @RajThackeray workers. Provide me safety. Is an Indian having any rights to dignity & safety in Maharashtra today is a question even our @HMOIndia @AmitShah ji might ponder on as well,' Kedia said on X. Kedia's post came after a sweet mart owner was assaulted by seven MNS workers in Mira Road near Mumbai recently for not speaking in Marathi. Kedia withdraws comments on Raj Thackeray On Saturday, Kedia stated that he made these comments in haste and has now realised his mistake. Stressing that his comments have been taken out of context by some sections, Kedia said, 'My tweet [X post] happened in a wrong state of mind under stress. And further, now it is getting manipulated and misinterpreted to suit the interests of people who want to gain from any controversy.' Kedia said that he made those comments after common citizens of Maharashtra were getting targeted over a lack of proficiency in Marathi. "Having come under pressure mentally from the violence inflicted on those who do not know Marathi, I ended up overreacting. I realised I must take back my overreactions and withdraw," he said. Praising MNS chief Raj Thackeray for raising "strong issues" that matter to the Hindus, Thackeray said, "Whether it was the Hanuman Chalisa campaign in recent memories or always, the championing of Hindutva and Rashtravad that he has done, he has always been a hero. But this time, when our own have been loggerheads with each other, my mind went haywire under stress." Sushil Kedia added that citizens here in Maharashtra will be inclined to learn the Marathi language if encouraged in the right manner. "I have realised my mistake, and I wish to correct it unequivocally. The concerned people may also hopefully consider someday soon that instead of frightening people if you provide us encouragement, it will help us overcome our hesitations in achieving fluency in the Marathi language more rapidly, as we will be fearlessly using it more and more. Of course, the tweet that I made out of haste, out of the stress," Kedia said while admitting that he clearly "overreacted" in his previous post. (With ANI inputs)
