Ashish Shelar Sparks Row by Comparing Attacks on Migrants in Mumbai to Pahalgam Terror Incident

Mumbai: Maharashtra BJP leader and minister Ashish Shelar has drawn sharp criticism after comparing recent attacks on non-Marathi speaking migrants in Mumbai to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Shelar suggested that both incidents were rooted in targeted violence against Hindus.

“In Pahalgam, people were killed because of their religion. Here in Maharashtra, Hindus are being assaulted only because of the language they speak. What’s the difference?” Shelar said, referring to multiple incidents involving MNS workers allegedly attacking shopkeepers and migrant workers in Mumbai for speaking Hindi instead of Marathi.

The remarks have reignited the ongoing debate around language-based violence and identity politics in Maharashtra, especially as the state prepares for high-stakes municipal elections.

Shelar also criticized the recent political alliance between Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT) and his cousin Raj Thackeray (MNS), calling it “a deal born out of desperation.”

“Uddhav cannot survive without power. He left the BJP when he didn’t get the CM’s chair and now seeks a BMC seat by any means necessary,” he alleged. Shelar accused both leaders of indulging in opportunistic politics, using emotional issues like language and regional pride to mislead voters.

However, Shelar was careful to add that the BJP stood firm in defending both Marathi pride and Hindu identity. “We are here to protect the interests of both Marathi speakers and Hindus — but we will do it through development politics, not hatred,” he said.

The Pahalgam terrorist attack, which occurred on April 22, claimed 26 lives — most of them pilgrims traveling through the valley. The comparison between that act of terrorism and the recent language-based attacks in Mumbai has triggered backlash from opposition leaders.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray lashed out at Shelar, accusing the BJP of harbouring hostility towards Maharashtra’s cultural fabric. “There is a lot of poison in BJP’s mind when it comes to Maharashtra,” Aaditya said in response to Shelar’s remarks.