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The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief appeared emphatic with his cousin and defended “Marathi pride” saying, “Yes, we are goons if we have to do hooliganism for justice.”
Estranged cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray reunited publicly after two decades. (Photo Credits: X)
Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Uddhav Thackeray and MNS’ Raj Thackeray, the estranged cousins, reunited in Mumbai on Saturday for a “mega victory gathering” to celebrate the rollback of the controversial Hindi language policy in primary schools in Maharashtra.
Taking a jibe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raj Thackeray said that he managed to do what even his uncle and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray “could not do”.
While addressing the joint rally at the NSCI Dome in Worli, Raj Thackeray said, “Chief Minister Fadnavis managed to do what Balasaheb Thackeray could not – bring me and Uddhav together.” The reunited cousins shared a public platform after over 20 years ahead of the upcoming local body polls, hinting at a new political alignment in the state.
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief appeared emphatic with his cousin and defended “Marathi pride” saying, “Yes, we are goons if we have to do hooliganism for justice.”
Referring to Fadnavis’ statement on the assault of a shopkeeper by MNS workers that “hooliganism” in the name of Marathi would not be tolerated, Uddhav Thackeray said they would keep doing “hooliganism” if they don’t get justice.
“Mr Fadnavis said we won’t tolerate hooliganism for language. If a Marathi manus (person) is asking for justice, and if you are calling us goons, Yes, we are goons; if we have to be goons to get justice, we will do goondagiri,” he said.
The MNS chief too addressed the rally in Marathi and said that everyone residing in Maharashtra should know and speak in Marathi.
“Be it a Gujarati or anyone else here, must know Marathi, but there is no need to beat people for that if they don’t speak Marathi. Yet, if someone does some drama, you must hit them below their eardrums.”
He followed up with advice: “If you beat someone, don’t make a video of the incident. Let the person beaten up tell that he has been beaten up; you don’t need to tell everyone.”
United On Linguistic Identity
Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asserted that he and his cousin have “come together to stay together”.
Uddhav said that on the question of linguistic identity, “Raj, I and everyone else here is united. We have come together to stay together,” he asserted, saying that they will capture power in the Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra together.
Uddhav and Raj shared the public stage and hosted a victory gathering, titled ‘Awaj Marathicha’, to celebrate the rollback of two GRs issued earlier by the government introducing Hindi as a third language from class 1 in state schools.
The Sena (UBT) chief also said, “We won’t let the government impose Hindi on us”.
The language row came when the Maharashtra government issued an order in April to make Hindi as the compulsory third language for students in their primary classes. It was met with large opposition and political pressure, which led to a withdrawal recently.
Slap Row In Maharashtra
The party workers and “goons” of MNS assaulted a Mumbai shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi this week. The attackers have yet to be arrested, despite having filmed the assault and posted it online.
The MNS has refused to apologise or even reprimand those involved in either attack.
Sandeep Deshpande, the party’s Mumbai unit boss, claimed the vicious slaps rained on Babulal Khimji Chaudhary were because the 48-year-old, whose shop has been a fixture in the Mira Road suburb for 20 years, had ‘insulted’ Marathi. “If there is an attempt to insult Marathi, we will respond. It will not be tolerated.”
Earlier in March this year, Raj Thackeray had said that his party would not refrain from “slapping” people if they refuse to speak Marathi in the state. He had cited the Tamil Nadu language row and had said that they “dared” to say “no to Hindi”.
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
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