Mumbai, March 6 Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday that Marathi is the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra, after Shiv Sena- UBT legislator Bhaskar Jadhav sought his intervention on RSS leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi's remarks
The Chief Minister said those who respect their mother tongue should not disrespect any other language.
Jadhav said: "The Centre has recently accorded the Classical Language Status to Marathi. Against this backdrop, I would like the chief minister to make the government's stand on the statement made by RSS veteran Joshi."
CM Fadnavis told the House that he had not seen or read what Joshi said, adding that he would certainly see that.
"Marathi is the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra. There will be no disrespect to other languages. Those who respect their mother tongue do not disrespect any other language," the Chief Minister said.
RSS leader Joshi on Wednesday said: "There is no need for those coming to Mumbai to learn Marathi. Different languages are spoken here. The language of Ghatkopar area in Mumbai is Gujarati. There is no single language in Mumbai. Many languages are spoken here."
Shiv Sena-UBT legislator Aaditya Thackeray strongly criticised the RSS leader for his statement.
"Every Marathi person should listen to Joshi's statement. He has insulted Maharashtra and the Marathi language. The state government has also cancelled the Marathi Bhavan proposed at Marine Drive and gallery in Girgaon. They (state government) said the Marathi language has been given classical status. Marathi is the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra. Action should be taken against Bhayyaji Joshi," Thackeray said.
Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut slammed Joshi, saying: "Who gave him this right? Can you go to Kolkata and say that Bengali isn't their language? Can you go to Lucknow and say in front of Yogi (Adityanath) that Hindi isn't their language? Can you go to Chennai and say their language isn't Tamil?"
Congress legislator Nana Patole said the RSS and the BJP were diverting attention from issues like farmers and employment by igniting such debates on languages.
"Today, farmers' crops are drying up in Maharashtra. Can't the RSS give suggestions to the government on this? Is the RSS not concerned about unemployment in Maharashtra? RSS and BJP are diverting attention from the main issues by creating such debates," Patole claimed.
NCP-SP spokesman Amol Matele also criticised the RSS veteran, saying he attempted to hurt Marathi pride which will not be tolerated.
BJP legislator Ram Kadam downplayed the RSS leader's remarks, saying "Joshi is a respectable person. His statement was shown in bits and pieces. Without understanding the sentiment behind Joshi's statement, some people are taking it to extremes."
"Joshi said that more people who speak Gujarati live in some parts of Ghatkopar. So, naturally, when they meet each other, they speak Gujarati," the BJP legislator said.
"As long as there are sun and moon in the sky, the language of Mumbai will be Marathi," Ram Kadam said.
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