Mumbai: Amid the language row in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar gave an advice to non-Marathi speakers. "Nothing will happen to someone who says that we are living in Maharashtra but can't speak very good Marathi. However, we respect the language and will try to learn it. It doesn't happen always; people react rudely sometimes. You should respect the language of the state you work in," Pawar said speaking to media.
Language Row Reaches Parlaiment
Earlier in the day, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey was confronted by female MPs from Maharashtra inside the parliament premises over his controversial remarks.
The MPs, including Varsha Gaikwad, Pratibha Dhanorkar, Shobha Bachhav and others, quickly surrounded him and demanded an explanation for his remarks. Taken aback by the direct confrontation, Dubey appeared visibly rattled. In response, he said, “No, no… it’s not like that… Jai Maharashtra,” before exiting the scene. The slogan “Jai Maharashtra” caught the attention of several other MPs present near the Parliament canteen, where the entire exchange reportedly occurred.
Governor Reacts
Reacting to the language row, Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan on Tuesday, recounting an experience, said, "When I was an MP in Tamil Nadu, one day I saw some people beating someone... When I asked them the problem, they were speaking in Hindi. Then, the hotel owner told me that they don't speak Tamil, and people were beating them to speak Tamil... If we spread this kind of hatred, then who will come and invest... In the long run, we are harming Maharashtra."
He further said, "I'm unable to understand Hindi, and that is an obstacle for me... We must learn the maximum number of languages, and we should be proud of our mother tongue."
