Mumbai: The Maharashtra Assembly witnessed a stormy debate on Thursday after RSS leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi’s remarks that Marathi is not necessary for everyone in Mumbai sparked political outrage. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis strongly countered the statement, asserting that Marathi is the official and cultural language of both Mumbai and the state.
Speaking in the Assembly, Fadnavis said, “In Mumbai, Maharashtra, and in the state government, the language is Marathi. People who live here should learn it. Marathi is a part of the state’s culture and identity, and it is the duty of every citizen to respect and adopt it.”
His statement came amid fierce opposition from Shiv Sena (UBT), whose leader Aditya Thackeray slammed the BJP, accusing it of disrespecting Maharashtra and the Marathi language. “The language of this land is Marathi, just like Tamil is in Tamil Nadu and Kannada is in Karnataka. The BJP’s ideology is to insult Maharashtra,” he charged.
The heated exchanges between BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) members escalated to such an extent that Speaker Rahul Narwekar had to adjourn the Assembly for five minutes.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav had questioned the government on its stance over Bhaiyyaji Joshi’s remarks. In response, Fadnavis reiterated that there would be “no compromise on Maharashtra’s language policy” and that Marathi would be preserved and respected as an integral part of the state’s heritage.
The controversy erupted after Bhaiyyaji Joshi, during an event in Mumbai, reportedly stated, “It is not necessary for everyone to know Marathi.” His remarks triggered widespread backlash, with Aditya Thackeray claiming that the BJP was systematically disrespecting the Marathi language and culture.
Adding to the criticism, Thackeray accused the government of halting the Marathi Bhasha Bhavan project in Mumbai. “Yesterday, Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi said that the language in Ghatkopar could be Gujarati, but this is absolutely not possible. The language of Mumbai is Marathi,” he asserted.
