Amid Language Debate, Raj Thackeray Says MNS Wrongly Accused of Targeting Biharis

Raj Thackeray Slams BJP’s ‘Double Standards’ Amid Marathi-Hindi Language Row.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of hypocrisy over regional identity and language politics. Speaking at a rally in Raigad on Saturday, Thackeray alleged that the BJP practices double standards—defending regional culture in states like Gujarat while criticizing similar efforts in Maharashtra.

“We are constantly accused of harassing outsiders whenever we raise the Hindi-Marathi issue. But Biharis were driven out of Gujarat twice, and those who led those protests were later inducted into the BJP and made MLAs,” Thackeray said, as quoted by ANI. “They keep Gujarat organised, but when we speak about protecting our language and culture in Maharashtra, we are defamed,” he added.

Thackeray’s remarks come amid heightened tensions over a Hindi-Marathi language row in Maharashtra, particularly in Mumbai and surrounding areas. The controversy flared up following the state government’s rollout of two government resolutions (GRs) mandating the introduction of Hindi from Class 1 as part of a three-language policy in schools. After opposition from both Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, the GRs were eventually withdrawn.

The MNS chief also criticised the state’s decision to host a Gujarati Sahitya Sammelan at government expense, calling it a politically motivated move aimed at provoking his party.

“The government has deliberately organised a Gujarati literary event to provoke us, hoping we’ll react so they can gain political mileage. But we won’t fall for it. Still, if we feel that steps are being taken to erode Maharashtra’s identity, we will raise our voice,” he said. He urged MNS supporters to stay alert and monitor the government’s actions closely.

The language debate has since escalated beyond political rhetoric. Several incidents involving MNS workers confronting people for not speaking Marathi have surfaced across the state. Viral videos show confrontations with shopkeepers, auto-rickshaw drivers, and even bank employees. In one case in Mumbai, a medical store employee was assaulted and made to apologise publicly over a WhatsApp status allegedly insulting the Marathi language. In another case in Pune, a bank manager was slapped during work hours for speaking in Hindi to customers.

These incidents have drawn criticism from civil society and political opponents, with legal scrutiny mounting against MNS activists involved in the reported assaults. Last month, Raj and Uddhav Thackeray appeared together at a pro-Marathi event in Mumbai, jointly opposing what they termed the “imposition of Hindi” in the state.