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Addressing the thorny issue of recent violence allegedly associated with his party and the MNS over the language row, Thackeray labelled such incidents as ‘sporadic’
Thackeray appeared to portray the BJP as a threat to Maharashtra’s unique linguistic heritage and to rally support around a narrative of protecting regional identity from central authority. File pic/PTI
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray delivered a nuanced and politically charged address on the ongoing Marathi language row at the CNN-News18 Townhall 2025 in Mumbai on Wednesday, offering what appeared to be a strategic repositioning of his party’s stance. Thackeray was keen to shed the image of linguistic nativism, stating unequivocally that his party is “not against any language” and that Maharashtra, as a state, “accepts people from all the states”.
The core of his critique was directed at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which he accused of overreaching with its language policies. Specifically, he highlighted a perceived attempt by the BJP to “impose third language as Hindi on class 3rd students”.
Thackeray appeared to portray the BJP as a threat to Maharashtra’s unique linguistic heritage and to rally support around a narrative of protecting regional identity from central authority.
Addressing the thorny issue of recent violence allegedly associated with his party and the MNS over the language row, Thackeray labelled such incidents as “sporadic”. He attributed the root cause of these tensions to a fundamental lack of respect for “local culture, local language, and local heroes”.
Aaditya Thackeray also sought to define the ideological battleground between his Shiv Sena faction and the BJP. He posed a rhetorical question about why only the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS were typically involved in these disputes. The answer, in his view, was simple: “because you feel for the state”, a sentiment he suggested was absent in the BJP.
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
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