A statement by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Suresh Bhayyaji Joshi, claiming that “Mumbai does not have one language,” has ignited a firestorm of political reactions across Maharashtra.

Joshi’s controversial remarks, made at a public event in Vile Parle on Wednesday, were met with fierce criticism from political parties, particularly the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Joshi, speaking in Marathi, stated, “Mumbai does not have a single language, Mumbai has many languages. Different areas have different languages. For example, the language of Ghatkopar is Gujarati. Similarly, you will find fewer people speaking Hindi in Girgaon. There, you will find people speaking Marathi. There is no requirement for people coming to Mumbai to learn Marathi.”

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and NCP MLA Rohit Pawar demanded clarification from the Maharashtra government, with many asserting that Marathi remains the language of Mumbai.

Political reactions

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Bhaskar Jadhav, raised the issue in the state Assembly, demanding the government’s stance on the matter. 

Uddhav Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, led a protest at the Martyrs’ Memorial in Mumbai on Thursday, asserting that no matter what efforts were made to undermine Marathi identity, Mumbai would remain inseparable from the Marathi-speaking community. 

Thackeray even went as far as to demand that Joshi be booked for treason, citing the state’s law that mandates Marathi as a compulsory language.

The NCP also weighed in, with MLA Rohit Pawar emphasising that Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra and insisted that anyone living in the state should respect and learn it. Pawar said that Joshi’s statements were an attempt to downplay the importance of Marathi in the city and state.

Raj Thackeray, leader of the MNS, also criticised Joshi, questioning why such remarks were consistently being made about Maharashtra. Thackeray even dared Joshi to make similar remarks in other Indian cities such as Bengaluru or Chennai, where local languages are deeply ingrained in the cultural identity.

Government response

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, when questioned about Joshi’s original statement in the state Assembly, said he had not heard the remarks but reiterated the government’s commitment to the Marathi language. “Marathi is the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra, and there is no disrespect to other languages,” Fadnavis said. He also emphasised that learning Marathi should be a priority for anyone residing in the state, as it is crucial for the state’s cultural and linguistic identity.

Joshi’s clarification

Suresh Bhayyaji Joshi issued a video statement on Thursday seeking to clarify his earlier remarks. “My statement has created some confusion,” he said. “I was speaking about the co-existence of different languages in Mumbai. However, I want to make it clear that Marathi is the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra, and everyone living here must learn it.”

Fadnavis’ statement echoed Joshi’s revised stance but refrained from commenting on the specifics of the controversy.

(With inputs from syndicated feed)