RSS leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi's comments on Marathi stir row; Shiv Sena (UBT) seeks treason case

Mumbai: Maharashtra was engulfed in a political controversy on Thursday following contentious remarks made by an RSS leader regarding the Marathi language with opposition seeking criminal action against him, while the BJP-led state government sought to downplay the situation.

Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi's remarks that a "person coming to Mumbai may not necessarily learn Marathi" led to protests by opposition parties and the issue also rocked the state legislature which is having its budget session in Mumbai.

Even as Joshi sought to put a lid on the raging row by saying his remarks, made at an event in Mumbai's Ghatkopar on Wednesday, were misconstrued, and that Marathi is the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra, the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) demanded that he be booked for treason.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, without directly commenting on the controversial remarks, asserted in the assembly that Marathi is the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra, and anyone who lives in the state should learn and speak it.

The RSS functionary's remarks came at a time when the BJP-led Centre and the DMK-headed government in Tamil Nadu are locked in a bitter war of words over the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP).

Fadnavis's statement came after Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav said the BJP-led Mahayuti government should clarify its stand on Joshi's comments.

The CM said, "I haven't heard what Bhaiyyaji said, but the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra is Marathi. Everyone should learn Marathi and should speak the language." Fadnavis affirmed his government respects other languages as well.

"If you love and respect your own language, you do the same to other languages. I am sure Bhaiyyaji will agree with me," Fadnavis said.

Leaders of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) staged a protest in Mumbai against Joshi's remarks, and shouted slogans asserting Marathi is the language of the metropolis.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, a bitter critic of the BJP, demanded that the RSS leader be booked for treason.

Speaking in the legislative council, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule of the BJP said the Maharashtra government’s policy on Marathi is clear -- those living in the state should know and learn the language.

“The government policy is clear that whoever lives in Maharashtra should know Marathi and learn it. There is no compromise on the Marathi language,” Bawankule said.

A day after his remarks triggered a controversy, Joshi said “Marathi is my native language and I take pride in it. Marathi is Maharashtra language and Mumbai's language. There are no two opinions about it. People speaking many languages live in harmony in Mumbai." “It is expected that those coming from outside and speaking other languages should also understand Marathi,” Joshi said.

"Mumbai doesn't have a single language. Each part of Mumbai has a different language. Ghatkopar area's language is Gujarati. So if you are residing in Mumbai, it is not necessary that you have to learn Marathi," Joshi had said at the event on Wednesday.

Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap said in the council that it was distressing that a responsible person from the RSS had made such remarks. "Our resolve is to safeguard the Marathi language,” Jagtap said.

NCP (SP) legislator Shashikant Shinde sought to know if Joshi’s remarks were a ploy to break Mumbai from Maharashtra and if anyone was encouraging it.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut claimed Joshi's remark amounted to treason and Maharashtra’s insult.

“Can he go and speak like this in Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai, Ludhiana, Patna, or Bengaluru, Trivandrum or Hyderabad? Raut asked.

Talking to reporters in the Vidhan Bhavan complex, former CM Thackeray alleged that Joshi's remarks reflect the hidden agenda of the RSS and the BJP to divide Mumbai.

Thackeray dared Joshi to make such statements in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal and come back safely.

Just because the "Marathi manoos" is welcoming, does not mean anyone can hit him, the former CM added.

"Joshi should be booked for treason. I had made a law (while he was CM) to make Marathi compulsory in the state. This (his remarks) is against the law," Thackeray insisted.

"Mumbai is a metropolis. If you (BJP) want to win it, then do it by doing good work, and not by spreading venom," the former CM averred.

Leaders of the opposition MVA staged a protest at Hutatma Chowk in south Mumbai against Joshi’s remarks. They included Uddhav Thackeray, Congress leaders Vijay Wadettiwar, Bhai Jagtap, Nitin Raut and NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil.