BJP MP Nishikant Dubey speaking to reporters about the language row in Maharashtra. Photo: X screengrab | @ANI
Can you target Ambani for not speaking Marathi? BJP MP Nishikant Dubey asks Uddhav, Raj
Dubey criticises Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, stating they only target the poor and avoid influential figures in the ongoing language dispute in Maharashtra
Amid the Hindi-Marathi language row in Maharashtra, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday (July 10) slammed Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, saying they only beat poor people for not speaking Marathi, according to a report by the news agency ANI.
Speaking to journalists, Nishikant Dubey said, "You beat up the poor. But Mukesh Ambani lives there, he speaks very less Marathi. If you have guts, go to him. Mahim has a large Muslim population. If you have guts, go there. SBI chairman doesn't speak Marathi, try hitting him."
Also Read: Devendra Fadnavis clarifies Nishikant Dubey's Marathi language comments
Clarifies remark about Maharashtra’s economy
The BJP MP also clarified that a statement he had made earlier about Maharashtra’s economy had been misinterpreted.
"There is something which I said and which has been misinterpreted - Maharashtra has a great contribution in the economy of this country...What I said was misconstrued by people. But what I am saying is that we too have a contribution in the tax paid by Mumbai or Maharashtra. This has nothing to do with the Thackeray family or the Maratha. SBI and LIC, who pay tax, have their headquarters in Mumbai," said Dubey.
Reacts to Raj Thackeray’s 'instruction'
Dubey also strongly reacted to the report about MNS chief Raj Thackeray's instructing his party workers to "beat but don't make a video," referring to persons unable to speak in Marathi.
Also Read: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey dares Raj Thackeray over Marathi row
"What are you doing, whose bread are you eating? You people are surviving on our money. What kind of industries do you have? We have all the mines in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. What mines do you have? All semiconductor refineries are in Gujarat," said the MP.
‘Come out of Maharashtra’
The MP challenged those who were being aggressive towards Hindi-speaking people, and asked them if they had the courage to also thrash those who speak Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
He told them if they were “such a boss”, to come out of Maharashtra, to come to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu.
“Tumko patak patak ke maarenge," Dubey threatened.
Also Read: SC to hear plea on BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's remarks on judiciary next week
The language row erupted when some traders in Mumbai were allegedly beaten by MNS party workers for not communicating in Marathi. Raj Thackeray’s party has been demanding that shopkeepers and traders in Mumbai should converse in Marathi.