Maharashtra Minister Draws Pahalgam Attack Parallel Amid Backlash Over Language Row

Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar on Sunday said that on Marathi language row, people were being attacked in the state on linguistic lines which is disappointing, whereas it was the case of terrorists attacking tourists in Pahalgam depending on their religion. Claiming that as the biggest of the parties, it would be the BJP to save the face of the Marathi people, he said it would, equally, save the face of the non-Marathi residents.

The Maharashtra minister said, "All these incidents cause pain, suffering, and mental distress. In Pahalgam, they shot them after asking about their religion. And here they beat up the innocent Hindus just because of the language they speak. Such cases create disturbance..."

Shelar also blamed political opportunism of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and the previous chief minister of Maharashtra Uddhav.

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"He (Uddhav) first aligned with the BJP to gain power in the state and the BMC (cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation). When he realised he could become chief minister, he joined hands with the (then undivided) NCP and Congress. Now, to retain power in the BMC, he is trying to woo the MNS," he claimed.

Thackeray who has turned coat just for political interests.

Shelar also termed the violence against the Hindi-speaking individuals supposedly by the employees of MNS as shameful and added that, "Marathi is not a political issue to us."

The stage of a rally in Mumbai also marked the first sharing of the stage by Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj Thackeray who leads the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), in almost two decades.

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Commenting on the Thackeray cousins' reunion, Shelar said, "It is a very good thing that two brothers came together... Whether the two parties will contest the elections together or not is their right; they can decide whatever they want on that matter. We have nothing to say about that today. As far as yesterday's program is concerned, one brother's speech is incomplete, and the other's is irrelevant."

"What Raj Thackeray said was not complete. He discussed Marathi, but did not elaborate on the entire topic. Uddhav Thackeray's speech was irrelevant, showing pleasure by joining one word with another word and collecting brownie points. There was nothing else in his entire speech except the mention of the fact that his government fell... In yesterday's meeting, neither language nor Maharashtra were a topic," Shelar added.

When some of the Marathi-speaking regions were protesting over the alleged beating of a Mumbai-based shopkeeper who was not able to speak in Marathi, the MNS chief Raj Thackeray had urged his party cadres not to indulge in violent attempts of coercing usage of languages and said, “Be it Gujarati or anyone else, they must know Marathi. But there is no need to beat people for not speaking Marathi. [But] if someone creates unnecessary drama, you must hit below their eardrums.”

This was revealed in a viral clip last week when workers of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) beat up a shop-keeper in Bhayandar area on the outskirts of the state capital of claiming he did not want to communicate in Marathi.

Later, seven MNS members were detained and released later after notices were served against them by the police.

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