Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane, on Friday, July 8 made a controversial remark at a event in Mumbai, claiming that “the ones wearing round caps and beards did not vote” for him.
“The ones wearing round caps and beards did not vote for me. I have become an MLA with the votes of Hindus. If I do not support Hindus, will I support those who speak Urdu?... They are green snakes... The DNA of Mumbai is Hindu,” Nitesh Rane said during an event in Mumbai, reported ANI.
The Maharashtra leader's comments come days after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Javed Shaikh’s son allegedly misbehaved with Marathi social media influencer Rajshree More, and the ongoing Marathi language row.
‘Won’t take action on Sheikh'
Nitesh Rane had accused the MNS party of inaction, claiming they would not act against the accused because he is a Sheikh, and alleged that the party selectively targets only poor Hindus.
Nitesh Rane said, “His name is Rahil Sheikh, and they will not release his video. They will only target poor Hindus because they have taken the contract to divide this Hindu rashtra. They have taken a contract to appease jihadis. The rules they impose on Hindus, when will they impose the same rules on the Sheikh? This has been our question from the beginning. This is clear politics. They won't take action on Sheikh. They become soft went they roam on Mohammad Ali Road and Behrampada,” reported ANI.
Raj Thackeray-led MNS party was under the scanner not just after the viral road rage incident, but also because of how some workers from the party had slapped a restaurant owner in Thane for not speaking in Marathi.
Hindi-Marathi language row
The latest turn of events come amid the ongoing Hindi-Marathi language row in Maharashtra.
The controversy erupted in April after the Maharashtra government made it compulsory for state-run primary schools to teach Hindi as a third language.
The decision was met with fierce opposition from civil society groups, language activists and opposition leaders who accused it of trying to impose Hindi, with the BJP-led government eventually rolling back the policy in the state.
