‘Mukesh Ambani speaks very little Marathi, if you have guts…’: Nishikant Dubey’s fresh salvo amid language row

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, whose recent post on the Marathi language row, had stirred up a political storm in Maharashtra, said on Thursday that his statements were misconstrued by people.

 

“There is something which I said and which has been destroyed,” he said while talking to reporters at Gangtok in Sikkim.

 

“Maharashtra has a great contribution to the economy of this country. But what I am saying is that we, too, have a contribution to the tax paid by Mumbai or Maharashtra. This has nothing to do with the Thackeray family or Maratha,” the MP said.

 

Dubey, a Lok Sabha member from Jharkhand, noted that both the State Bank of India and the Life Insurance Corporation, who are paying taxes, have their headquarters in Mumbai.

 

“I am standing in Sikkim, people here also deposit their money in SBI. Their money is there too. But its tax money goes into Maharashtra's account,” he claimed.

 

Without naming the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which has been at the forefront of the language campaign, Dubey sought to remind the protesters that both Mukesh Ambani and the SBI chairman speak very little Marathi.

 

“You beat up the poor. But Mukesh Ambani lives there, and he speaks very less Marathi. If you have guts go to them. Mahim has a large Muslim population, if you have guts, go there. SBI chairman doesn't speak Marathi, try hitting him."

 

The language row took an ugly turn on July 1 when a food stall owner was allegedly beaten up by MNS workers in Bhayandar for not speaking Marathi.

 

A video of the assault had gone viral on social media, following which traders in Bhayandar staged a protest, seeking action against the attackers. Seven MNS members were later detained. 

 

Dubey, in a post on X, came down heavily on the attackers, but his choice of words triggered a controversy, putting the BJP on the back foot.

 

"To those beating Hindi speakers in Mumbai, if you have the courage, try beating Urdu speakers in Maharashtra. Even a dog is a tiger in its own home. Decide for yourself who is the dog and who is the tiger," he stated.

 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed Dubey’s comments as "ill-advised", warning they could sow "confusion in the minds of people".

India