Violence against non-Marathi speakers not intentional: MNS in response to LJP MP's remarks

Mumbai: The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Saturday said incidents of violence against non-Marathi speakers in the state by its workers were not intentional.

MNS vice-president and spokesperson Vageesh Saraswat told PTI his party has no problem with those hailing from Bihar or Karnataka and living and working in Maharashtra if they give respect to the local language.

"Marathi is the language of Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra. The Union government recently gave it classical language status. But some people deliberately disrespect and humiliate the language. While teaching such elements a lesson, violence does take place. But it is not intentional. Give Marathi due respect and we have no issues whether the people concerned are from Bihar or from Karnataka," he asserted.

Saraswat was responding to a statement of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP Rajesh Verma that he will raise the issue of attacks on Hindi speakers by MNS workers in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha.

Verma had alleged the MNS was trying to display its political might by targeting Hindi speakers.

Hindi speakers also contribute to Maharashtra's economy, he said, adding MNS was attacking unarmed persons in mobs because they can't speak the language.

"Hindi speakers work hard. They deserve respect and not insults and violence," Verma had said.