RSS Leader Says Mumbai Has Many Languages, Clarifies After Political Storm

Amid the uproar over senior RSS leader Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi's "Mumbai has many languages" remark, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the language of the state and Mumbai is Marathi and everyone should learn it.

Mr Fadnavis said this after Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Bhaskar Jadhav demanded that the state government clear its stand on Mr Joshi's remarks and Marathi's place in Maharashtra. 

Addressing an event in Mumbai, Mr Joshi said, "Mumbai does not have one language. It has many languages. Certain areas have their own language. The language of Ghatkopar is Gujarati. In Girgaum, you will have fewer Hindi speakers and more Marathi speakers. So it is easy that any individual coming to Mumbai may not necessarily learn Marathi."

The RSS leader has, meanwhile, said the row over his remarks was due to a misunderstanding. 

The remarks sparked a row as Opposition parties Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) targeted the BJP government and demanded that it come clear.

In his response today, Mr Fadnavis said in the Assembly, "I haven't heard what Bhaiyyaji said, but the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra is Marathi. Everyone should learn Marathi and should speak the language."

The Chief Minister said his government respects other languages too. "If you love and respect your language, you do the same for other languages. I am sure Bhaiyyaji will agree with me," he said.

Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said Mr Joshi had insulted Maharashtra and the remark amounted to treason. "Marathi is our state language and such a statement amounts to treason. The statement is a treason," he told the media. "He came to Mumbai and said its language is not Marathi. Should the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers tolerate this?" Mr Raut asked.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray led a party protest at Hutatma Chowk today to protest the RSS leader's remarks.

Amid the row over his remarks, Mr Joshi has said it was a "misunderstanding". "Due to one of my statements, a misunderstanding has occurred. The language of Maharashtra is Marathi. Mumbai is in Maharashtra and naturally, the language of Mumbai is Marathi. Different languages are spoken in India. People speaking different languages live in Mumbai as well. So, it is a natural expectation that they should also come here and learn Marathi, understand Marathi and read Marathi."

"I think that this is a great example of co-existence that people speaking so many different languages in India live together. I think that Mumbai is also an ideal example of this. But there is a natural expectation that a person coming to Mumbai should understand Marathi, speak Marathi, learn Marathi, read Marathi. This is the only expectation. I have nothing more to say than this... My mother tongue is Marathi. But I also respect the existence of all languages... I request everyone to see it from the same perspective," he said.