In a fresh escalation of political tensions between Bihar and Maharashtra leaders, Jan Adhikar Party chief Pappu Yadav has directly challenged the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. Responding to Thackeray’s recent remarks allegedly targeting migrants from Bihar, Yadav warned that he would personally travel to Mumbai and take out all his arrogance.
Addressing the media in Bihar, Yadav criticised Raj Thackeray’s anti-migrant stance, calling it divisive and disrespectful. “People from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have contributed immensely to the development of Mumbai and Maharashtra. Raj Thackeray cannot insult them with his hollow threats and arrogance. "Mumbai aakar saari hekdi nikal dunga,” Yadav declared.
This sharp exchange comes in the backdrop of Raj Thackeray’s repeated calls for prioritising Maharashtrians in local jobs and his long-standing criticism of the influx of North Indian migrants into Mumbai. Thackeray’s party, the MNS, has often been accused of stoking regional tensions and targeting migrant workers through its aggressive campaigns.
Pappu Yadav, known for his fiery rhetoric, said that such statements damage the unity and integrity of India. "Mumbai belongs to the entire country. It is not anyone’s personal property. People from every corner of India work and live there. Raj Thackeray’s politics of hate will not be tolerated anymore," he said.
He also appealed to the people of Maharashtra to reject divisive politics and stand in solidarity with fellow Indians, regardless of their state of origin.
Bihar leaders have often stood up against what they describe as discrimination against their people in Mumbai, and Pappu Yadav’s challenge adds fresh fuel to the debate.
Whether this confrontation will lead to a political face-off in Mumbai remains to be seen, but for now, it has certainly intensified the Bihar-Maharashtra political narrative.
