Latest news with #Marathis
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'You come to Mumbai': Raj Thackeray counters BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's 'patak ke maarenge' with 'dubo ke maarenge'; language row escalates
Raj Thackeray, Nishikant Dubey NEW DELHI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Friday hit back at BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's 'patak ke maarenge' remark, daring the BJP leader to come to Mumbai. "A BJP MP said, 'Marathi logon ko hum yahan pe patak patak ke maarenge'...You come to Mumbai. Mumbai ke samundar mein dubo dubo ke maarenge," Thackeray said in Hindi amid the language debate in Maharashtra. — ANI (@ANI) Thackeray's remark comes after Nishikant Dubey defended his "tumko patak patak ke marenge" remark on Friday and said that Mumbai is not only for Marathis, and reiterated his warning to Uddhav and Raj Thackeray. Earlier this month, Dubey warned opponents that "tumko patak patak ke marenge" (we'll thrash you thoroughly) while responding to MNS chief Raj Thackeray's call to target Hindi speakers. Also read: Nishikant Dubey defends 'patak ke marenge' remarks; hits out at Thackerays Speaking at a rally at Mira Bhayandar near Mumbai, Raj on Friday also warned that if Hindi was made mandatory for Classes 1 to 5 in schools in Maharashtra, his party will "shut down schools". He also said that everyone living in Maharashtra should learn Marathi. "I will not make any compromises over Marathi and the people of Maharashtra. Those who live in Maharashtra, to them I would like to say 'learn Marathi as soon as possible, wherever you go, speak Marathi'," the MNS chief said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Premium 1 BHK at Mahindra Citadel – Coming Soon! Mahindra Citadel Enquire Now Undo Earlier this month, the BJP-led government had withdrawn two orders making Hindi mandatory in primary schools following strong opposition by several organisations and political parties, including the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Raj's estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Why attack Hindi speakers?' Nishikant Dubey defends 'patak ke marenge' remarks; hits out at Thackerays over language-based violence in Mumbai
NEW DELHI: Nishikant Dubey defended his 'tumko patak patak ke marenge' remark on Friday and said that Mumbai is not only for Marathis, and reiterated his warning to Uddhav and . In a podcast with ANI, Dubey recalled that is the highest taxpayer state, but because of the SBI, LIC, and Tata, who opened their headquarters in Mumbai. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Earlier this month, Dubey warned opponents that 'tumko patak patak ke marenge' (we'll thrash you thoroughly) while responding to MNS chief Raj Thackeray's call to target Hindi speakers. Defending his 'Patak Patak ke Maarenge' remark, Dubey said, "If you refuse to accept Hindi even as a national language, but you love the English of the British, go ahead. Even in the three-language formula, you have no issue pushing English. So you'll teach the language of Britain in India, but you have a problem with Hindi? It's good to have your movements and your causes. But when you physically attack someone in the name of language—especially Hindi—you cross a line. " "Let me remind you: Mumbai was once part of Gujarat. It only became part of Maharashtra after the linguistic reorganization in the 1960s. And even now, Marathi speakers make up only about 31–32% of Mumbai's population. Roughly the same percentage of the population is Hindi-speaking. Around 2% speak Bhojpuri, 12% Gujarati, 3% Telugu, 3% Tamil, 2% Rajasthani, and about 11–12% Urdu speakers. Everyone lives here." he added. He also said that if they find non-Marathi-speaking people so problematic, then go stand with a stick in front of the SBI Chairman or LIC officials—because many of them don't know Marathi and ask them to 'move all headquarters out of here.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Marathi advocates usually beat the unarmed, poor people but not like National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange's chiefs, who are not Marathi. "I am a Member of Parliament. I will not take the law into my hands. But whenever they (Uddhav and Raj) go outside Maharashtra, the people of that state will teach them a lesson. They'll beat them soundly wherever they go," Dubey said in the podcast. This all started with three language policy and later the members of UBT and MNS attacked the non-Marathi speaking people in Maharashtra.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Eye on BMC polls, Shinde Sena ties up with Republican Sena in Dalit outreach
Grappling with various challenges from within and outside the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde has joined hands with the Republican Sena led by Anandraj Ambedkar, grandson of B R Ambedkar, ahead of the state's local body elections slated later this year. Both Shinde and Anandraj together made this announcement at a press conference in Mumbai Wednesday. The Shinde Sena seems to have forged this alliance with a view to boosting its prospects in the upcoming local body elections, especially the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. It indicated Shinde's bid to expand the Sena's support base beyond Marathis to include Dalits. Republican Sena is known for having a base among Dalits and the poor and downtrodden, especially in pockets of Mumbai and some places in the Vidarbha region. The tie-up has come amid growing buzz of an alliance between Shinde's arch rival and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray as part of their attempts to consolidate the Marathi votes for the local body polls. The Uddhav-led Sena had earlier dominated the BMC. Besides this formidable challenge, Shinde is facing a friction in his relations with the state BJP leadership over power sharing, even as the Shiv Sena is also reeling from various rows involving some of his MLAs and ministers. While addressing the press conference along with Anandraj, Shinde said, 'I have always upheld my identity as someone who is dedicated to common man. The alliance with Anandraj Ambedkar is a step forward to reach out and accommodate those segments who are poor, needy and backward.' Noting that the strength of any organisation is dependent on its workers, Shinde said the leaders should always stand by their workers during crises. He said common people also expect their leaders to give them a helping hand in times of hardship. On his part, Anandraj said their ideological differences would not come in the way of their tie-up. 'Both Shiv Sena and Republican Sena follow Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution. There are no ideological differences as we are both committed to welfare of the poor, oppressed and backward,' he said. When Shinde was the CM during the previous Mahayuti regime, he had hosted several Buddhist monks and their followers at his then official residence 'Varsha', Anandraj said. 'Today, we pledge unconditional support to Shiv Sena. All we expect is our workers' concerns should be accommodated and that they get a participatory role in the local bodies polls,' he said. Who is Anandraj Ambedkar? Anandraj is the younger brother of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar. They had earlier been part of the Republican Party of India (RPI). In 1998, Anandraj founded the Republican Sena. Although based on Ambedkar's philosophy like other RPI factions, the Republican Sena has a limited presence in the state. In contrast, Prakash Ambedkar has been rooted in state politics for several decades, and has a wider acceptance and larger socio-political network across Maharashtra. Anandraj was in the limelight in 2011 when he led a protest and occupied the Indu Mill land at Dadar in Mumbai. They were protesting against the government's failure to implement its proposal to set up a B R Ambedkar memorial complex with his statue there. Anandraj also made headlines in 2012 when he started an agitation seeking the removal of encroachments from the Buddhist caves and monuments in different parts of Maharashtra. B R Ambedkar along with lakhs of his followers had converted to Buddhism at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur in 1956. By launching a stir over the Buddhist monuments, Anandraj had sought to connect with a larger section of Dalits and Ambedkarites. Over the last five decades, the RPI has been split into various breakaway outfits, which include the RPI (A) led by Union minister Ramdas Athawale, the RPI (Kawade) and the RPI (Gawai), among others. The alliance between the Shiv Sena and the Republican Sena is not likely to make any significant electoral impact in the state, with the move seen in political circles as a Shinde bid to mobilise smaller outfits to strengthen his own party. The RPI (A) is part of the BJP-led NDA in the state and at the Centre. It is said to have the support of a significant percentage of Dalit voters. The Athawale-led party had allied with the then undivided Sena led by late Bal Thackeray in the 1990s, which was dubbed an 'alliance of Shiv Shakti and Bhim Shakti'. This pitch was again made in November 2022, when Sena UBT chief Uddhav, son of Bal Thackeray, joined hands with Prakash Ambedkar. They asserted that they came together to save the Constitution and democracy, which had been facing a 'threat', they alleged, from the BJP dispensation. Both even recalled how their grandfathers had unitedly fought against various social evils including caste discrimination. In the 1950s, two political stalwarts, B R Ambedkar and Prabodhankar Thackeray, Bal Thackeray's father, had come together to fight against untouchability, dowry and casteism. A key constituent of the Opposition Maha Vikash Aghadi (MVA), Uddhav's alliance with Prakash Ambedkar however fell through ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The VBA contested in these polls alone, failing to open its account.
News18
11-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘Marathis Wouldn't Have Made Mistake': Sena MLA, Involved In Slapgate, Targets South Indians
Last Updated: Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad, who was involved in the slapgate controversy, has targeted Shettys -- a community mostly prevalent in South India. Sanjay Gaikwad, the Shiv Sena MLA, who assaulted a hostel staff member in Mumbai for allegedly serving him stale food, has targeted Shettys – a community prevalent in the South – accusing them of 'defaming Maharashtra's culture". He said that Marathis would have never shown any laxity in serving fresh food if they were allowed to run the canteen. 'These Shettys have been playing with our lives for a long time. Today, they tried to play with my life. My stomach isn't good, and I have been disturbed over it for the last 20 years. The slightest mistake can land me up with a stomach ache," the MLA, who belongs to the ruling Shiv Sena, told NDTV. Targetting the Shetty community, Gaikwad said, 'The Opposition shares their views but do they not know that these Shettys of the south have defamed Maharashtra's culture, be it in terms of dance bars or ladies bars. These things have been going on in Maharashtra for a long time and are being done by the Shettys. Shetty is not written on his forehead but the hotel belongs to the Shettys." When asked if his reaction would have been different had the canteen staff been a Marathi, the legislator said that Marathis 'would not have made such a mistake". 'This is not a question about Marathis. Firstly, Marathis wouldn't have made such a mistake… The people of Maharashtra have never run a dance bar, or a ladies bar, they have never done such acts, only outsiders do such acts. Earlier Balasaheb had also protested these," he told the broadcaster. A massive controversy erupted on Wednesday after a video of the MLA slapping an employee, Yogesh Kutran, at the Akashvani MLA hostel in Churchgate went viral on social media. Reports claimed that he had earlier ordered dinner from the canteen on Tuesday night, however, was delivered dal and rice that had foul smell and seemed stale. Upset by this, he went to the canteen and argued with the employee. During the argument, he slapped the employee. After the video went viral, stirring the controversy, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that such conduct by the MLA was not good. 'We came to know that the facilities were not up to the mark, the food was stale. Whatever it is, one can register a complaint. I request you (Chair) to deal with it independently. But for a public representative to assault someone, and the video getting circulated is not good," Fadnavis said. Shiv Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also condemned the behaviour of his party leader. 'We are representatives of the people and we have some responsibility. I condemn Gaikwad's action. I have told him that it's wrong to slap someone," Shinde said. However, despite widespread condemnation including from his own party, Gaikwad said that he slapped the manager and not the staffer, terming it 'right". 'I have been complaining about it for the last two to three years but in vain. It was not just me, but several other MLAs, their personal assistants and other people raised similar complaints but nothing came out of it. I knew the road I adopted was incorrect but taking the wrong road has led me to the right path, and this is why a case has been registered against him today," NDTV quoted him as saying, as he referred to the cancellation of the canteen's licence by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration. view comments First Published: July 11, 2025, 11:22 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
11-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Sanjay Gaikwad, Shiv Sena MLA In Slapgate Row, Insults Shetty Community: Who Are They?
Last Updated: Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad in Slapgate Row Insults Shettys: "These Shettys of the south have defamed Maharashtra's culture, be it in terms of dance bars or ladies bars..." Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad in Slapgate Row Insults Shettys: Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad, who assaulted a hostel staff member in Mumbai for allegedly serving him stale food, also targeted Shettys – a community from the South – accusing them of 'defaming Maharashtra's culture". He said that Marathis would have never shown any laxity in serving fresh food if they were allowed to run the canteen. 'These Shettys have been playing with our lives for a long time. Today, they tried to play with my life. My stomach isn't good, and I have been disturbed over it for the last 20 years," Gaikwad told NDTV, adding, 'The Opposition shares their views but do they not know that these Shettys of the south have defamed Maharashtra's culture, be it in terms of dance bars or ladies bars. These things have been going on in Maharashtra for a long time and are being done by the Shettys. Shetty is not written on his forehead but the hotel belongs to the Shettys." When asked if his reaction would have been different had the canteen staff been a Marathi, the legislator told NDTV that Marathis 'would not have made such a mistake". #BreakingNews | Amid Sena MLA 'Slapgate' row, non-cognizable complaint filed against Sanjay Gaikwad @kotakyesha with details #MaharashtraPolitics | @akankshaswarups — News18 (@CNNnews18) July 11, 2025 Who are the Shettys insulted by Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad? Shetty is primarily a surname used by members of the Bunt community, a landowning and warrior class traditionally found in Tulu Nadu — a region covering coastal Karnataka and northern Kerala. The Bunt community has historically been feudal landlords, administrators, and warriors during the times of local dynasties like the Alupas. One of the Bunt community's most distinctive features is its matrilineal inheritance system. Their most common surnames are Shetty, Rai, Hegde, and Chowta. Mumbai is home to over 10 lakh Bunts, including the famous Aishwarya Rai. From where did the word 'Shetty' originate? The word 'Shetty' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'shreshti' or 'shreshta', meaning wealthy merchant or nobleman. It was historically a title of respect given to prominent businessmen and community leaders, especially in coastal trading towns. Most Shettys speak Tulu, Konkani, or Kannada, depending on their region. Most Shettys are Hindus, especially followers of deities like Shiva, Durga, and local deities like Nagamandala or Bhoota Kola spirits. Some Shettys are also Jains, especially in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The famous Shettys Shilpa Shetty: Actor Suniel Shetty: Actor and entrepreneur Rohit Shetty: Film director Anushka Shetty: Actor Mumbai: On Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad slapping a canteen staff alleging poor food quality, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, 'No need to file any complaint, to take action against Sanjay Gaikwad, police should inquire into the matter…" — ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2025 What is the connection between Shettys and hospitality industry? The Bunt community traditionally managed land and feasts, especially during temple festivals and family ceremonies. Their organising skills, hospitality instincts, and culinary traditions translated into the restaurant and hotel industry. From the early 20th century, many Tulu-speaking Shettys migrated to Mumbai, initially working as cooks or waiters. They opened 'Udupi restaurants', which became famous for South Indian vegetarian cuisine. In Bangalore, Bunt Shettys run many Darshinis or fast-food South Indian outlets and mid-range vegetarian restaurants. In Dubai, Singapore, USA, and Canada, Shettys have opened Indian restaurants, many focused on vegetarian food or Mangalorean coastal cuisine. Shilpa Shetty also owns hospitality brand called Bastian. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
