Marathi MPs confronted BJP MP Nishikant Dubey in the Parliament lobby regarding his statement about Hindi speakers. Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad demanded an explanation in an aggressive tone, to which Dubey tried to defuse the situation by saying 'Jai Maharashtra'. The controversy has now taken on a political hue.
Maharashtra: The Hindi versus Marathi dispute ongoing in Maharashtra has now reached the Parliament in Delhi. On Wednesday, an unexpected incident occurred in the Parliament building's lobby, where some Marathi MPs from Maharashtra confronted BJP MP Nishikant Dubey regarding a recent statement he made. This clash has become an issue of not only politics but also linguistic identity and regional pride.
What is the complete dispute?
There have been long-standing ideological differences between MPs from Hindi-speaking regions and regional leaders of Maharashtra. In the past week, an incident came to light in Mumbai where workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) misbehaved with Hindi-speaking citizens. Reacting to that issue, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey made a statement that provoked the sentiments of Marathi leaders.
He had said: 'If you are so irritated by Hindi speakers, then mess with Urdu, Tamil, and Telugu speakers as well. If you have the courage, come to North India – we will respond by thrashing you.' This statement of his went viral on social media and hurt sentiments related to Marathi pride.
What happened in Parliament House?
On Wednesday, at approximately 12:45 PM, a group of Marathi MPs in the Parliament lobby – prominently including Congress MPs Varsha Gaikwad, Pratibha Dhanorkar, and Shobha Bachhav – were looking for Nishikant Dubey. During that time, Dubey arrived there, and a heated exchange began between the two sides.
Varsha Gaikwad directly questioned – 'With what right did you speak such words against Maharashtra? Tell me, who will you thrash?' According to eyewitnesses, the tone of the Congress women MPs was quite aggressive. Dubey, who is often vocal in the media, appeared uncomfortable this time and only said in response – 'No, no... nothing like that... Jai Maharashtra.' Hearing this statement from Dubey, other MPs present there also became alert. Within minutes, this news spread throughout the Parliament complex.
Political Conflict vs. Linguistic Dignity
This incident has once again raised the question of what kind of politics is taking place in the country's Parliament regarding regional languages and identity. While Marathi leaders consider it an attack on the pride of Maharashtra, the BJP is calling it emotional provocation and political dramatics. Some BJP leaders have termed the entire incident a 'pre-planned attack' and said that Dubey was deliberately surrounded so that Congress could garner sympathy in the name of Marathi pride.
BMC Elections and Linguistic Politics
The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) elections are also at the center of this controversy. Regional parties like Shiv Sena and MNS have a b hold in Mumbai, but the increasing activity of the BJP has increased the concerns of the older parties. In such a situation, issues like language and regional identity have become weapons to incite public sentiment. Experts believe that this fight of "Jai Maharashtra vs. Hindi Pride" has now become a part of electoral strategies. Polarization of votes based on language points towards a dangerous direction.
What does this matter say from a constitutional point of view?
The Indian Constitution gives every person the right to speak, adopt, and propagate their mother tongue. But when linguistic pride becomes a political weapon, it becomes a matter of concern for national unity. Such incidents in an institution like Parliament hurt democratic dignity.
