'Come to UP...Bihar': BJP MP dares Thackerays amid language row
What's the story
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Nishikant Dubey has dared Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray to attempt their alleged aggressive actions against Hindi-speaking people in other states. "Come to Uttar Pradesh or Bihar. Tumhe Patak-Patak ke maarenge (people will thrash you black and blue)," Dubey said. He was referring to recent incidents where MNS workers assaulted North Indian laborers and vendors for not speaking Marathi.
Criticism voiced
Dubey's comments on Mahim dargah incident
Dubey also criticized the Thackeray brothers for their anti-Hindi rhetoric and asked them to visit the Mahim Dargah and try to assault Urdu-speaking people. "If they have courage, they should go to Mahim and beat any Hindi or Urdu speaking people in front of Mahim dargah, then I will consider them true ancestors of Balasaheb Thackeray," he said. His comments came after MNS workers assaulted a shopkeeper in Mumbai's Mira Road area for not speaking Marathi.
Industrial critique
What industries does Maharashtra have apart from those?
The incident, which was caught on camera, showed two MNS workers slapping the shopkeeper while another person warned him against running a business in the area if he couldn't speak Marathi. Dubey also questioned Maharashtra's industrial output, citing Reliance Industries and Tata Group as examples of industries in the state. He called the attacks on North Indians "cheap acts" and asked what industries Maharashtra has apart from those.
Counterpoint
Political slugfest in Maharashtra
Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) leader Yogesh Kadam slammed Dubey's statement, saying such arrogance won't work and that he won't tolerate such statements. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also hit out at Dubey's remark, asking, "Who made him the gatekeeper of Hindi?" "Who made him the tax keeper of India? Who made him the spokesperson of industrialists? Who made him the decision maker of what other party leaders should be doing?" Chaturvedi questioned.