BJP leader likens attacks on non-Marathi speakers to Pahalgam massacre

BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar has drawn a controversial parallel between attacks on non-Marathi speaking migrants in Maharashtra and the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where tourists were targeted based on their religion.

“In Pahalgam, people were killed on the basis of their religion. And here in Maharashtra, Hindus are being attacked only because of their language. What is the difference between these two?” Shelar said, reacting to a viral video showing Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers assaulting a Gujarati trader for not speaking Marathi.

With municipal elections in Mumbai approaching, the language issue has taken centre stage in the state’s political discourse. Parties like the MNS have been accused of inciting violence against non-Marathi speakers.

On April 22, 25 tourists were shot by terrorists in Pahalgam, reportedly targeted for their religion.

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Studying in one’s mother tongue enhances conceptual understanding and instils strong values for life. Whatever position I have reached today, my teachers and this Marathi-medium school have played a significant role in it. BR Gavai, CJI

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Government recently scrapped the three-language policy, a move opposed by MNS chief Raj Thackeray and his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, who claimed it was an attempt to impose Hindi. The duo celebrated the rollback at a July 5 rally in Mumbai, projecting it as a political victory for Marathi identity.

Uddhav, former Chief Minister and now chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), defended the Marathi language campaigners, saying, “If a Marathi manus (person) is asking for justice and you call us goons, then yes, we are goons.”

Shelar hit back, accusing Uddhav of political opportunism. “Uddhav cannot live without power. He ditched the BJP when denied the Chief Minister’s post and aligned with the Congress-NCP. Now, he is eyeing the BMC. For him, ideology, Marathi identity and even Maharashtra take a backseat,” Shelar said.

He added that the BJP would contest the upcoming local body elections on a development-focused agenda.