Lagatar24 Desk
Mumbai: Senior RSS leader Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi found himself at the center of a political storm after his remark that “Mumbai does not have one language but many” sparked sharp reactions. Following widespread criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), Joshi later clarified, stating that his remarks were misunderstood and that Marathi remains the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra.
Political Uproar Over Joshi’s Statement
During an event in Mumbai, Bhaiyyaji Joshi had remarked:
“Mumbai does not have one language. It has many languages. Certain areas have their own language. The language of Ghatkopar is Gujarati. In Girgaum, you will have fewer Hindi speakers and more Marathi speakers. So it is easy that any individual coming to Mumbai may not necessarily learn Marathi.”
His statement triggered an immediate backlash, with Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) accusing him of insulting Marathi identity and demanding a clear stance from the Maharashtra government.
CM Devendra Fadnavis Responds
In response to the controversy, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reaffirmed that Marathi is the language of Maharashtra and Mumbai, urging everyone to learn and respect it.
“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,” said Fadnavis in the Assembly.
He also emphasized respect for other languages while upholding Marathi’s dominant cultural and linguistic identity.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Leads Protest, Calls Remarks ‘Treason’
• Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut strongly condemned the statement, calling it “an insult to Maharashtra” and “treasonous.”
• Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray led a protest at Hutatma Chowk against the remarks, demanding an official clarification.
• Raut questioned whether the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers would tolerate such statements that undermine Marathi identity.
Bhaiyyaji Joshi Issues Clarification
Amid mounting criticism, Joshi later clarified his statement, insisting that his remarks were taken out of context.
“Due to one of my statements, a misunderstanding has occurred. The language of Maharashtra is Marathi. Mumbai is in Maharashtra and naturally, the language of Mumbai is Marathi.”
He explained that while multiple languages are spoken in Mumbai, it is expected that people coming to the city should learn and understand Marathi.
“This is a great example of co-existence that people speaking so many different languages in India live together. But there is a natural expectation that a person coming to Mumbai should understand Marathi, speak Marathi, learn Marathi, and read Marathi,” he added.
Despite his clarification, the controversy has further fueled the ongoing linguistic and cultural debates in Maharashtra ahead of the elections.
