New Delhi: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday urged non-Marathi speakers in Maharashtra to be sensitive and respectable to the local language. He advised them to accept Marathi and show the desire to learn it, saying that this simple gesture can help prevent unnecessary conflict between increasing language stress in the state.He said, “There will be nothing to anyone who says we are living in Maharashtra, but cannot speak very well. However, we respect the language and try to learn it,” he said that he has been reported by PTI.Pawar insisted that any honor should be respected in the language of the state. He said, “This is not always, people react badly many times. You should respect the language of the state in which you live, at least a little bit,” he said.His comments come to light as the language line in Maharashtra is moving forward and has now reached Parliament.During the first day, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey came into the fire, referring to his controversial remarks from women MPs of Maharashtra, “Tumko Dab’s Marge (we thrash you completely)”. Angry women surrounded by MPs, demanding clarification, Dubey quickly retreated and said, “Jai Maharashtra”.BJP MP’s comment was the reaction of Maharashtra Navneman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, who threatened non-Marathi speakers with “Dubo-Dubo’s Maveg (completely thrash).”MNS, known for its aggressive stand on the “Sons-of-the-Mi-Mi” issue, has taken the language case seriously. Raj Thackeray has continued a fierce speech and said that he is “proud of his soldiers”.The ongoing tension has made several conflicts between Marathi and non-Marathi speakers. In a recent incident, a person was beaten up by MNS workers to refuse to speak Marathi and challenge it saying, “I will not speak in the language. What will you do?”Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has condemned such attacks, the use of violence on language issues is unacceptable.
