Mumbai, February 10 Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Tuesday said that if RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat believes that protesting for one's language is a "disease", then a majority of the states in the country suffer from this issue. In a post on X, Thackeray claimed that those who attended Bhagwat's programme in Mumbai on February 7-8, organized to mark the centenary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), did not come out of love for him, but due to the fear of the Modi government. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed his remarks, saying people attend RSS programmes voluntarily, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sought to downplay Thackeray's criticism of Bhagwat, noting that those not invited to the event were feeling bad. The BJP, which heads the ruling Mahayuti, said Marathi is a matter of pride, but stressed that a language should remain a means of communication rather than a source of conflict. Thackeray noted that the regional sentiment in southern states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka is strong. A similar sentiment exists in Punjab, West Bengal, and even Gujarat. He stated that when large groups of people from several states go to different states, act arrogantly, reject local culture, insult the local language, and create their own vote banks, it leads to resentment among locals, leading to outbursts. Thackeray asked, "Will Bhagwat call it a disease?" During an event in Mumbai over the weekend, Bhagwat interacted with people from various backgrounds and answered a series of questions. On the language issue, he said that the "localized disease" should not spread. Reacting to this, Thackeray said, "If Bhagwat feels that love for language and state is a disease, then a majority of the states in the country suffer from it." Thackeray said that Bhagwat did not give these "lectures" to Gujarat when thousands of people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were driven away from there. "Why were such lessons not given to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Punjab?" he asked. "Bhagwat can make such remarks because Marathi people are tolerant, but more importantly, those in power are spineless," he claimed. Notably, the MNS and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) contested the last month's municipal corporation elections on the plank of Marathi identity and the "sons of the soil" issue. Raj Thackeray said, "For us, the Marathi language and Marathi people are of paramount importance. Linguistic and regional identities will remain in this country, and so they will in Maharashtra too! This is our right, and whenever such situations arise, Maharashtra will rise with full fury." The MNS leader further said that he respects the Sangh's work, but it should not indirectly take a political stand. And if it does, then it must first address the government that is "imposing Hindi (which isn't even the national language) across the country," and then come teach us about harmony. Raj Thackeray also said that Bhagwat should not teach him Hindutva. When Hindus are attacked, the MNS will do whatever it can as Hindus. The MNS was the party that took out marches against the Raza Academy "riots", protested against loudspeakers on mosques, and took a stand against the massive loudspeakers and DJs during Hindu festivals that trouble citizens, he pointed out. "We call out what's wrong as wrong. When will you (Bhagwat) speak up like that? When will you speak about the chaos in the name of Hindutva across the country - the way women are made to dance during kanwar yatras in north India?" he said. In 2014, India was ninth in beef exports and today it's second, yet the drama of cow slaughter politics continues, inflaming sentiments. When will Bhagwat speak on it? Raj Thackeray asked. Responding to the comments, state BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye, in a post on X, said the MNS leader needs to come out of his "misconception" that people attend RSS events out of fear. Upadhye said it's wrong to assume that just as people come out of fear of the MNS, the same must be happening elsewhere. People participate in RSS shakhas (gatherings), rallies, and most events willingly and in an orderly manner. He said many RSS activities are held early in the morning or at dawn and therefore may not be visible to everyone. "The RSS has gained social acceptance over a hundred years of work, while self-serving political parties like the MNS have faded within a few decades. Thackeray should reflect on this," Upadhye maintained. The BJP chief spokesperson stated that when insistence on Marathi turned into hatred for other languages and led to loss of lives, credibility on the issue was lost. Upadhye insisted that there was no need to offer advice to the RSS, adding that the organization stands for dialogue, not confrontation. BJP minister Nitesh Rane claimed Bhagwat's remarks were being misrepresented. "I was present at the programme. Mohan Bhagwat expressed his views on language. Those who briefed Raj Thackeray have given him incorrect information. Bhagwat said one should take pride in the national language and also highlighted the importance of regional languages," he said. Rane pointed out that the RSS chief had stressed on the use of a language understandable to people wherever one goes, citing Bengaluru where he delivered his speech in English. Taking a dig at Raj Thackeray, the BJP leader opined that the MNS chief had never made similar demands of clerics in madrasas, nor asked that the 'azan' (Islamic call to prayer) be delivered in Marathi.
