Mumbai Language Row: BJP's Shelar Slams Thackeray Cousins, Likens Attacks to Pahalgam Terror

Maharashtra BJP leader Ashish Shelar ignited a political firestorm on Sunday, comparing recent attacks on Hindi-speaking individuals in Mumbai to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, while taking a sharp dig at the newly reunited Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray.

Speaking at a press conference, Shelar condemned the violence allegedly perpetrated by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers, accusing them of targeting “Hindus” based on language. “In Pahalgam, people were killed for their religion. Here, Hindus are being beaten for speaking Hindi. What’s the difference?” he said, referencing the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives.

Also Read: Delhi Bolsters Healthcare with 1,300 New Nurses and Ayushman Vans

The controversy stems from recent incidents, including MNS activists allegedly thrashing a sweet shop owner in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region for not speaking Marathi. On Saturday, MNS workers vandalized the Worli office of share market investor Sushil Kedia after he posted on social media, defiantly stating he would not speak Marathi and challenging MNS chief Raj Thackeray. Five MNS supporters were arrested in connection with the attack.

Shelar’s remarks indirectly targeted the Thackeray cousins, who reunited at a joint rally on Saturday to champion Marathi pride, a move he called an “opportunistic alliance.” The rally, held at Worli Dome, followed the state government’s withdrawal of a controversial order mandating Hindi as a third language in schools, which had sparked accusations of “Hindi imposition” from MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT).

The escalating language row has heightened tensions ahead of Mumbai’s civic polls, with the BJP vowing to protect both Marathi pride and non-Marathi residents. “Marathi is not a political issue for us,” Shelar asserted, distancing his party from the violence.

Also Read: BJP's First Woman National President? Here Are The Contenders