At a landmark rally in Mumbai’s Worli, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray made headlines with his fiery comments during a public celebration of the Maharashtra government’s rollback of the Hindi third-language mandate. Urging his party workers to act with restraint, Thackeray warned them against violence over language issues—while simultaneously delivering a sharp-edged message.
Only in Indian Politics can you run a failed startup for 20 years and yet carry enough swagger to justify violence. This is the MNS Chief Raj Thackeray whose goons beat a trader over Marathi. He says next time don’t make a video. Let the person hit come out and tell the world. pic.twitter.com/mv7OWQA24T
— Sanket Upadhyay (@sanket) July 5, 2025
“Be it Gujarati or anyone else here, they must know Marathi. But there is no need to beat people if they don’t speak Marathi,” Thackeray said to loud applause. “However, if someone shows useless drama, you must hit below their eardrums,” he added, sparking both criticism and cheer from different quarters.
Thackeray, known for his unapologetic stance on Marathi pride, also advised his cadre to avoid filming such incidents. “Let the person beaten up tell that he has been beaten up. You don’t need to tell everyone by making a video,” he said.
“So What If We Studied in English?”: Raj Defends His Views on Language and Education
Amid questions surrounding the authenticity of his Marathi-first stance, Raj Thackeray addressed criticism of his own family’s English-medium education background. “They say our children studied in English-medium schools. So what? My father Shrikant Thackeray and uncle Balasaheb Thackeray did too. Can anyone question their love for Marathi?” he asked.
Highlighting the need to separate language pride from academic choices, he added, “Tomorrow, I will learn Hebrew too—will anyone say I have no Marathi pride?”
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Thackeray also dismissed the notion that success was tied to any one language. “Dada Bhuse studied in a Marathi school and became a minister. Devendra Fadnavis studied in an English-medium school and became CM. So what?”
Raj and Uddhav Thackeray Reunite After 20 Years, Rallying for Marathi Identity
The ‘Awaj Marathicha’ rally also saw the long-awaited reunion of Raj Thackeray and his estranged cousin, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. The event marked their first joint public appearance in over two decades.
Raj quipped that it took an unexpected force to bring them together: “CM Fadnavis managed to do what Balasaheb Thackeray could not—bring myself and Uddhav together.”
Uddhav, in turn, affirmed that their renewed bond was not fleeting. “We have come together to stay together. We have united to protect Marathi,” he declared, hinting at future political collaboration in Mumbai’s civic elections and the broader Maharashtra landscape.
