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BJP leader Nitesh Rane sparked controversy by calling Muslims “green snakes” and claiming he became an MLA with Hindu votes, amid tensions over the Marathi language issue.
Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane. (ANI)
BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane on Friday sparked controversy with remarks on voting patterns, referring to Muslims as “green snakes”. He said that he has become an MLA with the support of Hindu voters amid ongoing tensions over the Marathi language issue in Mumbai.
Addressing a public gathering, Rane said, “The ones wearing round caps and beards did not vote for me. I have become an MLA with the votes of Hindus.”
“If I do not support Hindus, will I support those who speak Urdu?… They are green snakes… The DNA of Mumbai is Hindu,” he added.
Mumbai, Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane says, “The ones wearing round caps and beards did not vote for me. I have become an MLA with the votes of Hindus. If I do not support Hindus, will I support those who speak Urdu?… They are green snakes… The DNA of Mumbai is Hindu.” pic.twitter.com/m9UJMOLeyR— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2025
Rane was responding to recent debates surrounding the usage of the Marathi language and allegations that Hindus were being singled out for not using Marathi in public spaces.
Earlier, Rane criticised Uddhav and Raj Thackeray’s joint rally in Mumbai, dubbing it a joint rally of “jihadi and anti-Hindu gathering” aimed at dividing society and weakening the state.
After 20 years, the estranged brothers from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) shared the stage in a rally targeting the alleged Hindi language imposition in the state.
The Maharashtra leader’s comments come days after MNS leader Javed Shaikh’s son allegedly misbehaved with Marathi social media influencer Rajshree More, and the ongoing Marathi language row.
Rane accused the MNS party of inaction, claiming they would not act against the accused because he is a Sheikh, and alleged that the party selectively targets only poor Hindus.
Nitesh Rane said, “His name is Rahil Sheikh, and they will not release his video. They will only target poor Hindus because they have taken the contract to divide this Hindu rashtra. They have taken a contract to appease jihadis. The rules they impose on Hindus, when will they impose the same rules on the Sheikh? This has been our question from the beginning. This is clear politics. They won’t take action on Sheikh. They become soft went they roam on Mohammad Ali Road and Behrampada,” reported ANI.
The controversy erupted in April after the Maharashtra government made it compulsory for state-run primary schools to teach Hindi as a third language.
The move sparked intense backlash from civil society, language activists, and opposition leaders, who alleged an attempt to impose Hindi. Eventually, the BJP-led government in Maharashtra had to retract the policy.
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