A historic moment unfolded in Maharashtra's political scene on Saturday when two Thackeray cousins, Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, shared a stage after nearly two decades. At the grand rally 'Awaz Marathi' held in the NSCI Dome at Worli, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray lauded the government's decision to roll back the three-language formula, calling it a win for Marathi pride and credited Marathi unity for this victory.
Addressing the rally, Raj Thackeray remarked, “As I had stated in an interview, my Maharashtra stands beyond politics and disputes. Today, after 20 years, Uddhav and I have come together. What Balasaheb couldn't achieve, Devendra Fadnavis did—it was his efforts that united both Raj and Uddhav.”
The pavilion erupted in applause at Raj's statement. He clearly stated, without mentioning any names, that the attempts to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra will never succeed. If anyone dares to lay a claim on Mumbai, they will witness the real strength of the Marathi people.
Source: aajtak
'Why Suddenly the Focus on Hindi?'
Raj Thackeray criticized the central government, questioning, “Why is there suddenly an emphasis on Hindi? This isn't language love; it's an agenda. They're trying to impose Hindi on us, and we won't tolerate it. When our children study in English medium, our Marathi-ness is questioned. But when BJP leaders studied in missionary schools, their Hindutva was never questioned. This double standard won't work.”
He mentioned that Balasaheb Thackeray and his father Shrikant Thackeray were also educated in English medium but never let go of Marathi. He shared an old anecdote related to Balasaheb when, in 1999, the possibility of a BJP-Shiv Sena government was being discussed, and BJP leader Suresh Jain met Balasaheb with the idea of making Jain the Chief Minister. Balasaheb firmly stated then that Maharashtra's Chief Minister will only be a Marathi person.
Citing the example of South India, he said, “Stalin, Kanimozhi, Jayalalithaa, N. Lokesh, A.R. Rahman, Suriya—all were educated in English medium. Does anyone consider their Tamil pride any less? Rahman once walked off the stage after hearing a speech in Hindi.”
He clearly stated, “If I learn Hebrew tomorrow, why should anyone have a problem? Learn from South India; they have shown solidarity for their language. In South India, people have united for Tamil and Telugu languages, but in Maharashtra, there's an attempt to divide people. Maharashtra has united, and now these people will start caste politics to break the unity formed for Marathi language.”
Source: aajtak
'Stay United Like the Marathi Regiment'
Taking inspiration from the Indian Army, Raj Thackeray said, “There's a Maratha regiment in the army, a Bihar regiment, a Naga regiment; all are different. However, during war, they unite and fight for India. The Marathi community should remain united just like that.”
Blowing Up Mira Road Incident Unnecessary: Raj
Raj Thackeray referred to a recent incident in Mira Road, saying, “If someone gets slapped in a fight and they turn out to be Gujarati, what can one do? Is it written on the forehead who they are? Don't raise a hand unnecessarily, but also don't stay silent if someone goes too far. Stop making videos of fights. Don't hit anyone needlessly, but if someone makes a mistake, they should be taught a lesson.”
He mentioned having numerous Gujarati friends who love Marathi. He stated, “I jokingly call one Gujarati friend 'Guj-Rathi' because of his heart's connection with Marathi. Many Gujarati friends come to Shivaji Park to hear my speeches.”
In conclusion, he stated that governments will come and go, alliances will form and dissolve, but there will be no compromise on issues of Marathi language and culture. This was Balasaheb’s dream, and it remains our commitment.
