‘Overreacted... Under Stress': Investor Apologises After Mumbai Office Vandalised Over Marathi Row
In a surprising turn of events, businessman and investor Sushil Kedia on Saturday issued a public apology to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray over his anti-Marathi remarks and a post on social media platform challenging the latter.
The four-minute-long apology video, posted by Kedia on X, came hours after the MNS supporters vandalised his office situated in Worli after he challenged Raj Thackeray, while asserting that he would not learn Marathi.
In the video, in a sharp contract to his earlier remarks, the investor praised the MNS chief, called him a 'hero", and admitted that he was not in the right frame of mind when he posted critical comments about the MNS leader and the Marathi language.
Kedia said he had uploaded the post in a wrong state of mind under duress and stress and wished to correct it unequivocally after realising his mistake.
I request @RajThackeray Ji to consider my humble submission. pic.twitter.com/i8zGszgNtW — Sushil Kedia (@sushilkedia) July 5, 2025
'Having come under pressure mentally from the violence inflicted on those who do not know Marathi, I ended up over-reacting. I realised I must take back my over-reactions and withdraw," Kedia asserted.
In his apology video, Kedia said, 'Even after living for 30 years in Mumbai, the level of proficiency and fluency that a native Marathi born can have, we will not be able to achieve and for avoiding any embarrassments or confusions, one has been using Marathi language only in less than formal situations, with a casual atmosphere only before people very closely known to them. It has not happened to me in the use of seven other Indian languages that I could learn over a period of time," Kedia added.
The businessman said he has a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude towards Raj Thackeray for the strong issues he raises, the strength with which stands up in matters like the Hanuman Chalisa campaign (when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister), championing the cause of Hindutva and " rashtrawad" (nationalism).
He further said that he hoped the 'environment" improves so that the Marathi can be accepted 'with ease".
What Was The Row?
The investor came into the crosshairs of the Raj Thackeray-led party on Friday after he expressed his anger against Raj Thackeray and his party after some incidents of people getting thrashed in Maharashtra over non-use of Marathi triggered by the controversy linked to the "imposition" of Hindi and three-language policy in state schools came into limelight.
In a post on X, Kedia said, 'Do note @RajThackeray I don't know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai & with your gross misconduct I have made it a resolve that until such people as you are allowed to pretend to be taking care of Marathi Manus I take pratigya I wont learn Marathi. Kya karna hai bol?"
Following this, some individuals threw stones at his office and vandalised the infrastructure in the morning, while raising slogans in support of the MNS chief and Marathi language, with videos of the attack going viral on social media immediately.
In the videos, security personnel posted at the site can be seen trying to thwart the attack in vain, while office staff attempted to down shutters to avoid getting hit by the coconuts.
Kedia, shortly after the vandalism, again tagged Raj Thackeray on X and said that threatening him with hundreds of MNS workers is not going to make him a fluent Marathi speaker. He asserted that 'love, not threats, makes people get assimilated together".
'If I am not confident of the quality of Marathi I can speak, with so much threatening around, even more fear happens that if I miss speaking any word(s) improperly, more violence will happen," he said.
Shri @RajThackeray threatening me by 100s of your workers is not going to make me a fluent Marathi speaker.If I am not confident of the quality of Marathi I can speak, with so much threatening around even more fear happens that if I miss speaking any word(s) improperly more…
— Sushil Kedia (@sushilkedia) July 4, 2025
The businessman also urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Home Minister Amit Shah to provide him security.
Meanwhile, five MNS supporters were arrested in connection with the attack and further probe into the incident is underway, a Worli police station official said.
Incidentally, police had provided security to Kedia's office situated at Century Bazar after his post began generating a backlash from MNS supporters.
Amid the row, Fadnavis on Friday said that the state government would not tolerate 'hooliganism in the name of language."
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While responding to the assault of a shopkeeper by the MNS workers, Fadnavis said that Marathi should be respected without resorting to violence.
'We respect Marathi, but violence in its name won't be accepted. Strict action will be taken against those resorting to violence. No language in India will be allowed to be disrespected," he said while addressing the media.
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