Mumbai, Jan 13: Maharashtra BJP state president Ravindra Chavan on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction and the Congress, accusing them of opportunistic politics in the name of Marathi identity.
Speaking to the media in Mumbai at the conclusion of the municipal election campaign, Chavan said those claiming to champion the cause of the “Marathi manoos” should first revisit history and then look at present realities.
Samyukta Maharashtra movement recalled
Chavan recalled that during the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, 105 martyrs sacrificed their lives, and it was the Congress government that ordered police firing on the agitators—an undeniable historical fact.
He pointed out that on January 16, 1956, then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru announced Mumbai as a Union Territory, an event that later inspired Balasaheb Thackeray to establish the Shiv Sena for the rights and justice of the Marathi people.
Attack on UBT–Congress alliance
He alleged that leaders of the UBT faction conveniently forget that both the Maharashtra government and the Central government at that time were run by the Congress.
“Today, while sitting in the lap of the Congress, they claim to speak for Marathi pride. In reality, they are firing the Congress gun from their own shoulders,” Chavan said.
The BJP leader further accused Uddhav Thackeray of insulting the memory of the 105 martyrs by forming a government with Congress support. “For the sake of political survival, Uddhav Thackeray compromised Marathi identity by aligning with the Congress. The people of Maharashtra have seen this clearly,” he added.
Development and Konkan Railway
Highlighting development issues, Chavan said the Konkan Railway was launched in the 1990s not under Congress rule but due to the vision and efforts of leaders like Madhu Dandavate and George Fernandes.
He added that since 2014, under the BJP government, several stations and surrounding areas on the Konkan Railway route have been modernised and upgraded.
“Congress did nothing for Konkan when it was in power, yet Uddhav Thackeray became Chief Minister with Congress support, leaning entirely on its crutches,” Chavan remarked.
Questions on Marathi representation
Questioning claims of Marathi representation, Chavan asked why the UBT Sena and the MNS consider themselves greater champions of Marathi interests than others.
He said non-Marathi-speaking citizens born in Maharashtra do not join the BJP because of language identity, but because other parties offer limited leadership, ideology and future prospects.
Credit for Marathi language status
Chavan emphasised that the BJP has consistently worked for the Marathi language, culture and people. He credited former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and BJP leaders for persistent efforts at the Centre to secure classical language status for Marathi. “It must be acknowledged that Marathi received classical language recognition due to Fadnavis’s follow-up,” he said.
BDD Chawls and civic issues
Responding to a query, Chavan stated that Marathi families living in Mumbai’s BDD Chawls received rightful homes only because of the initiative taken by the Devendra Fadnavis government.
He accused Uddhav Thackeray of remembering the Marathi community only during elections, while ignoring them for the rest of the term. He also challenged the UBT faction to publicly declare what concrete work they have done for Marathi people in Mumbai over the last 30 years.
Marathi cultural identity
Speaking on Marathi cultural identity, Chavan noted that the grand Hindu New Year (Gudi Padwa) procession celebrated nationwide today originated from the concept of RSS and BJP workers in Dombivli and has since become an inspiration across Maharashtra.
He also criticised the shift from “Mi Marathi” to “Mi Mumbaikar”, alleging that this change diluted Mumbai’s Marathi identity and was imposed during Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership. Chavan questioned whether Balasaheb Thackeray would have approved of such a shift and demanded an honest answer from Uddhav Thackeray.
Also Watch:
Conclusion
Concluding, Chavan asserted that safeguarding the respect, language, culture and future of the Marathi people requires concrete action rather than emotional rhetoric. “Beyond slogans and sentiments, it is the BJP that has delivered real work for the Marathi community, and this fact is as clear as daylight,” he said.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
