Patak-patak ke maarenge: Try That in UP-Bihar, BJP MP Tells Thackerays Amid Migrant Row

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey Dares Thackerays Over Attacks on Hindi Speakers in Maharashtra.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Monday lashed out at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, accusing them of inciting violence against Hindi-speaking migrants in Maharashtra and daring them to replicate such actions in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, or Tamil Nadu.

“Come to UP, Bihar or Tamil Nadu and try this. People there will give you a fitting response,” Dubey told news agency ANI, condemning recent attacks by MNS workers on vendors allegedly for not speaking Marathi.

His remarks follow a string of viral videos showing North Indian vendors in Maharashtra being assaulted—particularly a recent incident in Mumbai’s Mira Road area where a Hindi-speaking shopkeeper was slapped by MNS workers for his inability to converse in Marathi.

Dubey also challenged the Thackerays to act similarly against Urdu-speaking citizens at Mahim dargah, saying, “Try that, if you have the courage.”

Tensions flared after the Maharashtra government rolled back a proposed three-language formula for schools, under pressure from both Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, who have accused the BJP of pushing “Hindi imposition” in a Marathi-speaking state.

Responding to this, Dubey argued that Hindi-speaking states significantly contribute to Maharashtra’s economy, pointing to industries set up by companies like Reliance and Tata that draw on resources and labour from states like Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh. “You don’t have the mines or manufacturing—Maharashtra runs on the back of these states,” he said, terming the recent attacks as “cheap, divisive politics.”

The MNS, meanwhile, has defended the Mira Road incident. “If someone insults the Marathi language, MNS will respond accordingly,” a party spokesperson said. In a separate address, Raj Thackeray had told his workers to act against troublemakers but advised them not to record videos of such incidents.

Uddhav Thackeray, who shared a stage with Raj for the first time in two decades at a rally opposing the three-language policy, later clarified that he was not “anti-Hindi,” but against its “imposition” over Marathi.

Dubey’s statement drew criticism from within the NDA itself, with Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader Yogesh Kadam condemning the tone of the remarks. “Such arrogance does not suit a four-time MP. We will not tolerate such language,” Kadam said.

The ongoing row has triggered a wider political and social debate over language rights, regional identity, and migrant integration in Maharashtra.