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Time of India
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Talking Mumbai
Language chauvinism is a political strategy for BMC polls. But it can create dangerous social divisions There's constructive politics, which concerns itself with the lot of the people, and there's cynical politics, which only serves the interests of its conductors. By those measures, it's hard to fit Maharashtra's ongoing language row into a constructive politics mould. While there might have been a case for not burdening little schoolchildren with a third language – Hindi – and charges of 'Hindi imposition' may have resonated in the state, they ceased to be an issue when Maharashtra govt withdrew the three-language order under intense opposition last month. The Thackeray cousins were still entitled to their triumphal event – Marathicha Awaaz – last Saturday because politics, like Wimbledon matches, requires constantly scoring points against opponents. However, by targeting Hindi speakers in and around Mumbai they're letting a genie out of the bottle that's never easy to lure back inside. By what stretch of ideology does the debate over teaching Hindi in Maharashtra's primary schools justify the slapping of a non-Marathi-speaking mithai shop owner and his employee? The accused in this case are members of Raj Thackeray's MNS, which has a record of thumbing its nose at the law. As he warned during Saturday's rally – 'You may rule the assembly, but we rule the streets.' The irony – lost on him – is that after almost 20 years of hate-mongering against 'outsiders' – Hindi-speaking north Indians – his party has not found acceptance in Maharashtra's heart. It does not have a seat in Lok Sabha or the state assembly. The only time it had double-digit assembly seats – 13 in 2009 – it earned lasting infamy when its members assaulted Samajwadi Party's Abu Azmi in the House for taking his oath in Hindi. But consider the ramifications of a rejected party's rejected ideology – a Maharashtra minister tried to join an MNS protest on Tuesday. With municipal polls due across the state, other politicians may also try othering Hindi speakers. Meanwhile, BJP's Jharkhand MP Nishikant Dubey has dared Sainiks of all colours to visit 'Bihar, UP, TN' for a taste of 'patak patak ke marenge'. None of this is constructive. A toxic discourse doesn't serve voters anywhere. It doesn't solve Mumbai's civic issues, nor does it improve the learning outcomes of Maharashtra's children. Maharashtra prides itself on being one of India's biggest engines of growth. It's aiming to be a $1tn economy. It can't get there with this brand of divisive cynical politics. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Talking About Mumbai and Language Fights
In Mumbai, some politicians are using language to create fights just to win elections. This is not helpful for the people at all. Here's what happened: The Maharashtra government had said that schoolchildren must learn three languages, including Hindi. But many people didn't like this rule. They felt Hindi was being forced on them. So, the government took back the rule last month. That should have been the end of the issue. But some leaders still want to get attention. Last Saturday, two cousins – Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray – held a big event called Marathicha Awaaz, which means 'Voice of Marathi'. They wanted to show they are fighting for the Marathi language. But things went too far. A sweet shop owner and his worker, who didn't speak Marathi, were slapped by members of Raj Thackeray's party, the MNS, just because they were speaking Hindi. This is very wrong and scary. Raj Thackeray's party has done such things before – like attacking a politician in 2009 just because he took an oath in Hindi. Even after all this, the MNS has never become a big or successful party. They have no seats in Parliament or the Maharashtra assembly now. Now that local elections (like for Mumbai's BMC) are coming, some politicians are again trying to turn Marathi speakers against Hindi speakers. This is a dangerous game. One BJP leader from Jharkhand even replied angrily, saying if Marathi leaders came to states like Bihar or UP, they would be beaten up. This kind of talk only spreads hate. But does this help Mumbai's people? No. It doesn't fix roads, water problems, schools, or hospitals. It doesn't help kids learn better in school either. Maharashtra is a rich and powerful state. It wants to grow into a $1 trillion economy. But that dream won't come true if leaders keep fighting over language and dividing people. We need politics that brings people together, not tears them apart. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Hindustan Times
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Uddhav Thackeray uses 'Pushpa' dialogue to tear into Eknath Shinde over ‘Jai Gujarat' slogan
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday took a jibe at Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde's "Jai Gujarat" slogan, with a dialogue from the "Pushpa" movie. Uddhav said that Shinde had raised the slogan to 'please' his 'boss'. (ShivSena - शिवसेना) At a joint 'victory rally' with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Uddhav called Shinde 'gaddar'. 'Gaddar said 'Jai Gujarat' like the actor in the movie Pushpa who says 'jhukega nahi s**la". But this gaddar follows 'uthega nahi s**la"," Uddhav said. He further said Shinde had raised the slogan to 'please' his 'boss'. 'He doesn't have his own thoughts….Is this how he shows respect for Marathi?' Uddhav questioned. Uddhav was sharing stage with Raj Thackeray after nearly two decades, after the cousins joined hands in their protest against the Maharashtra government's three-language formula. The joint rally, called 'Marathicha Awaaz', was organised to celebrate their 'victory' after the state government's decision to roll back the three-language formula making Hindi a mandatory third language in Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi- and English-medium schools. Shinde's 'Jai Gujarat' slogan at Pune rally kicks off political storm Shinde on Friday raised the 'Jai Gujarat' slogan while concluding his speech at the inauguration of the 'Jairaj Sports and Convention Centre' in Pune's Kondhwa area. Union home minister Amit Shah was also present at the event. Shinde first raised the slogan 'Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra', took a brief pause, and then added 'Jai Gujarat' at the end of his address. Reacting to the slogan, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that it was 'not surprising'. 'Shinde's Sena was born in Gujarat with Shah's blessings,' he added. In a post on X, Raut called the Shinde-led Shiv Sena 'Shah Sena', questioning his place in the Maharashtra cabinet. 'In Pune, this man (Eknath Shinde) gave the slogan 'Jai Gujarat'! What to do? How can this man remain in the Maharashtra cabinet,' Raut said. However, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis came to Shinde's defence, clarifying that the latter was speaking among the Gujarati community. He added that if someone was questioning Shinde's love for Maharashtra because of the slogan, 'then the person is thinking very narrowly'. Citing Sharad Pawar's example, Fadnavis said that the NCP (SP) chief had raised the slogan of 'Jai Maharashtra, Jai Karnataka' when the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was unveiled. 'Does this mean that Sharad Pawar loves Karnataka more than Maharashtra? Wherever we go, we say what the people there like. All leaders say the same,' Fadnavis said. He further asserted that there was 'no need to create ruckus' on the matter, while asserting, "We are all Indians'.
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Congress will negotiate only with Uddhav, Sharad Pawar: Prithviraj Chavan on Maharashtra merger buzz
The Congress will discuss alliance matters only with Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP)'s Sharad Pawar, and leave the decision on a "sub-alliance" to them, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has said amid speculation that the Thackeray cousins and the NCP factions may join hands. Mr. Chavan, however, made it clear that if the NCP merger happens and if that party goes with the NDA, it would become difficult for the Congress to continue the alliance with them in Maharashtra. In an interview with PTI, he dubbed the talk of coming together of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) as a "family matter". "If we go in an alliance (in the local body polls), we will have a seat sharing with the leaders of the alliance partners, that is Mr. Uddhav Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Mr. Sharad Pawar of the NCP (SP). Now, with whom they do a sub-alliance is entirely their situation," Mr. Chavan, a senior Congress leader, said "If the person is completely against the values that the Congress stands for, then we will raise some objections; otherwise, it is an internal family matter and how they do seat adjustments in case we go with an alliance [in the local body polls]," he said. Asked specifically about Raj Thackeray, Mr. Chavan told PTI, "Our experience is that he is a senior leader in Maharashtra politics. He is a big crowd puller; whenever he has a public meeting, there are huge crowds. But that doesn't get translated into votes, and that is why he has no presence in the current Maharashtra Assembly." There is a view that former Shiv Sena votes will combine together and they may get some benefit, he said on the positives of the Thackeray cousins coming together. "We will only negotiate with Mr. Uddhav Thackeray and Mr. Sharad Pawar," Mr. Chavan asserted. For the first time in 20 years, estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will share the stage on July 5 at a joint "victory" rally organised by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS to celebrate the rollback of the contentious government resolutions (GRs) on the three-language policy. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, led by Mr. Uddhav and Raj, respectively, on Tuesday (July 1, 2025) issued a joint public invitation for the "Marathi Vijay Diwas" event to be held at the NSCI Dome in Worli. The joint invitation, titled 'Marathicha Awaaz', is the first official announcement of the event. It doesn't carry a party symbol or flag, except a graphic image of Maharashtra. It mentions the names of Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray as hosts. Raj Thackeray, nephew of late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, resigned from the party in January 2006, apparently due to differences with Uddhav. During an interview a few months ago, Raj Thackeray said uniting in the interests of "Marathi manoos" was not difficult, while Uddhav also indicated his willingness to join hands with his cousin. On the buzz that there could be a merger between the NCP factions led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar, Mr. Chavan said, "Exactly, the same answer, it is a family matter. It is for them to decide who merges into which group and who becomes the leader of the merged party." "It is not very easy because the grassroots elected legislators and parliamentarians have a view that for development work to be done, there should be an alliance with the ruling party so that we get some benefit for the nursing of our constituencies while other people are saying 'we cannot align with A, B or C when we fought so hard'," Mr. Chavan said. He, however, added that he does not know what will happen with NCP's case, whether they will come together or not, who will merge into which party, who will be the leader in case of a merger or will individual units directly join the NDA. "So, all options are open, and it is for them to take a call. I don't think we will be asked for advice, but we are watching the situation. If they become part of the NDA, then it will become difficult to continue the alliance in Maharashtra," he said on the speculation over the NCP merger. The Nationalist Congress Party, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, split in July 2023 when Ajit Pawar, along with several other leaders, joined the BJP-led government in Maharashtra. Ajit was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister. The party name and its clock symbol were given to the Ajit Pawar faction, while the one headed by the former Union Agriculture Minister was christened NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). In a veiled reference to his estranged nephew Ajit Pawar amid a buzz about the reunion of the NCP factions, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had last month said that those who indulged in opportunistic politics by joining hands with the BJP can not be "encouraged".
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Thackeray cousins to share stage after two decades at joint Marathi identity rally
In a significant political development, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, estranged cousins and leaders of rival factions born out of the undivided Shiv Sena, will share a public stage for the first time in two decades. The event, scheduled for July 5 at the NSCI Dome in Worli, will mark the celebration of 'Marathi Vijay Diwas', following the Maharashtra government's decision to withdraw two controversial government resolutions (GRs) on the implementation of the three-language policy in schools. The joint celebration is being organised by the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). A public invitation released on Tuesday (July 1, 2025), titled 'Marathicha Awaaz', features no party symbols but carries the names of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray as co-hosts, along with a graphic outline of the State of Maharashtra. 'Marathi mothers, sisters and brothers, did we make the government bow down? Yes, we did make the government bow down! This celebration will be yours. We were only fighting on your behalf. Therefore, even while celebrating this joy, we are only the organisers of this gathering; the rest is for you to celebrate. Come, celebrate and burst with joy! We are waiting!' the joint invitation reads. Confirming their attendance, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the event would be a 'celebration of Marathi unity and pride,' and an assertion of regional identity. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday (June 29, 2025) had announced the withdrawal of the government resolutions that was proposed to introduce Hindi from Class 1 in State-run schools as part of a uniform three-language policy — a move strongly opposed by both the MNS and Sena (UBT). The two parties had earlier announced a joint protest march but called it off after the withdrawal, calling it a 'victory of the Marathi manoos'. Mr. Uddhav Thackeray subsequently announced a public celebration on July 5 to highlight Marathi unity. Reacting to the announcement of the joint rally, BJP MP and former Chief Minister Narayan Rane launched a scathing attack on Mr. Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of pushing Mr. Raj out of the undivided Shiv Sena and now seeking reconciliation for political gain. 'Has Mr. Uddhav forgotten how he harassed Raj, causing him to quit the party? Now he is trying to butter him up in the name of brotherhood,' Mr. Rane posted on social media. Mr. Rane went on to blame Uddhav for the decline of the original Shiv Sena, stating, 'Balasaheb Thackeray brought the party to power, but Mr. Uddhav lost it. He doesn't have the strength or ability to reclaim what was lost.' He also pointed to the contributions of himself, Eknath Shinde, and Ganesh Naik to the Shiv Sena's growth, claiming they were discarded by Mr. Uddhav's leadership. Notably, Mr. Raj Thackeray had campaigned in support of Mr. Rane during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In response, Bhaskar Jadhav, senior leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), questioned Mr. Rane's credibility and political consistency. 'Why is Narayan Rane so concerned about others? He left his own party within a year, then quit Congress. He must explain his own journey to the people of Maharashtra,' Mr. Jadhav said. He also referred to Mr. Rane's recent remarks aimed at BJP Minister Ravindra Chavan, suggesting they revealed deeper political contradictions within the ruling coalition.
