Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has distanced himself from BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s inflammatory remarks amid a growing language controversy in the state, calling them “inappropriate” and cautioning against creating confusion among communities.
The comments by Dubey, Lok Sabha MP from Godda in Jharkhand, came in response to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray’s provocative statement urging party workers to "hit below the eardrum" those who refuse to speak Marathi in Mumbai - but not to record videos of such assaults.
In a post on social media platform X, Dubey responded: “To those beating Hindi speakers in Mumbai, if you have the courage, try beating Urdu speakers in Maharashtra. Even a dog is a tiger in its own home. Decide for yourself who is the dog and who is the tiger.”
He further escalated the rhetoric, saying, “Tumko patak patak ke maarenge” (You will be thrashed badly, again and again), indirectly challenging Raj Thackeray and daring him to confront Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, and Telugu speakers beyond Maharashtra.
Fadnavis, addressing the media at the Vidhan Bhavan premises on Tuesday, criticized the tone and implications of Dubey’s statement.
{{/usCountry}}Fadnavis, addressing the media at the Vidhan Bhavan premises on Tuesday, criticized the tone and implications of Dubey’s statement.
{{/usCountry}}“If you listen to the complete statement of Nishikant Dubey, he particularly spoke about an organisation and not against Marathi people in general,” Fadnavis said. “However, in my opinion, it is inappropriate to make such comments. Its interpretation causes confusion among the minds of people.”
Reaffirming the contribution of Maharashtra and its people to India’s growth, Fadnavis said, “The biggest contribution to the country's GDP comes from Maharashtra. No one can reject the contribution of Maharashtra and Marathi people in the history and present of the country. If someone is rejecting it, then I feel it is wrong.”
“When invaders tried to attack our culture, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, and Marathas fought across the country. During the third battle of Panipat, Abdali was ready to seal a pact, but our Marathas did not give in," he added
Language row in Maharashtra
The dispute erupted following Raj Thackeray's aggressive speech during a recent victory rally in Mumbai, where he told MNS workers to ensure that non-Marathi speakers in the city learn the local language, but refrained from recording any violent acts.
Dubey hit back strongly, accusing the Thackeray cousins - Raj and Uddhav - of playing “cheap politics” ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
“You people are surviving on our money,” Dubey said, referring to industrial giants like Tata, Birla, and Reliance, claiming their origins lay outside Maharashtra. He further dared the Thackerays to go to Mahim and attack Hindi or Urdu speakers near Mahim Dargah to prove their “bravery.”
Backlash
Dubey’s remarks triggered widespread condemnation. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi slammed the BJP MP’s divisive rhetoric.
“Who made him the gatekeeper of Hindi? Who made him the spokesperson of industrialists? Does @Dev_Fadnavis ji agree with their party MP’s language and his disparaging comments about the hardworking people of the state?” she posted on X.
Chaturvedi also criticized comparisons made by other BJP leaders, questioning the appropriateness of statements that likened Marathi Hindus to terrorists.