Amid the ongoing row over the Marathi language in Maharashtra, actor-politician Kangana Ranaut on Sunday pressed on the need to preserve the nation's unity, urging people not to be divided in the name of language.
Speaking to NDTV, the BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi said, "We must stay away from anything that divides our country. People in our country try to connect with each other in different ways. Such actions disrupt their efforts."
"We must preserve the spirit of unity in the country. People should not be divided in the name of language," Kangana Ranaut said while referring to the Hindi vs Marathi row in Mumbai.
Her comments were made against the backdrop of the controversy over Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers assaulting a shopkeeper and even allegedly attempting to vandalise a businessman's office for not speaking Marathi or refusing to learn the language.
ALSO READ | Businessman who defied Raj on Marathi backtracks after MNS attacks office
MNS workers allegedly told the shopkeeper not to live in Maharashtra if he didn't know Marathi. "If you don’t speak in Marathi, we will beat everyone and drive them away, and we will break and burn down your shop,” they said.
{{/usCountry}}MNS workers allegedly told the shopkeeper not to live in Maharashtra if he didn't know Marathi. "If you don’t speak in Marathi, we will beat everyone and drive them away, and we will break and burn down your shop,” they said.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier on Friday, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis sternly warned that the state would not tolerate hooliganism in the name of language.
“Having pride in the Marathi language is not wrong, but if someone engages in hooliganism in the name of language, we will not tolerate it,” Fadnavis told reporters. "If anyone resorts to violence based on language, it will not be tolerated."
ALSO READ | ‘Hit below… Don't shoot video': Raj Thackeray to MNS workers amid Marathi row
He expressed surprise at people easily accepting English and creating a fuss over Hindi. Fadnavis reiterated that strict action will be taken against those who take the law into their own hands.
Kangana in Himachal
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut visited the cloudburst-affected areas of her constituency, Mandi, on Sunday, to take stock of the ongoing relief efforts and interact with the local residents.
She said that the Centre immediately sent forces to the region to help with the relief operation. "Even though the Prime Minister is on a foreign visit, but he is informed of what is happening here, and the central government has swung into action. As an MP, it is my job to bring in funds and convey the ground reality to the government," she told news agency ANI.
As many as 14 people have died and 31 others remain missing as flash floods, cloudbursts, and landslides wreaked havoc in Mandi earlier this week.
Ranaut also visited the Thunag subdivision in Mandi as a massive trail of destruction was left behind by heavy rainfall across Himachal.
The most affected areas in the state are the Thunag subdivision, Karsog Gohar subdivision and Dharampur subdivision, and DC Mandi.