Chaos erupted at the Vidhan Bhavan complex during the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly's monsoon session on Thursday when a scuffle broke out between supporters of BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Jitendra Awhad. The altercation between the activists from both sides escalated from pushing and shoving to physical assault. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has reacted sharply to this entire incident, raising serious questions about the state's political situation and the priorities of the government.
Sharing a video of the clash on X (formerly Twitter), Raj Thackeray wrote, "I saw the video of the heated altercation between the ruling party MLAs and opposition party workers in the Vidhan Bhavan complex. Seeing this, I am truly wondering what has happened to our Maharashtra?" Taking a dig at the ruling party, Thackeray said that power has now become an end in itself, rather than a means to an end, in politics. He alleged that political parties are now bringing along people who make objectionable comments about senior leaders and then talk about morality.
When My Soldiers Respond
Connecting the incident to Marathi pride, the MNS chief said that when his workers stand up against the insult of the Marathi language or a Marathi person, questions are raised against them. Raj Thackeray wrote, "When my Maharashtra soldiers raise their hands against attempts to stifle the Marathi language or any Marathi person, they and our party are attacked. But today, when this scene has come to the fore, where have the questioners disappeared?"
He also said that he is proud when his workers stand up to protect Marathi self-respect. According to Thackeray, this opposition is not out of personal animosity, but to protect Marathi pride, and it should be viewed from that perspective.
My Late MLA Had Taught an Arrogant Leader a Lesson
Raj Thackeray also mentioned one of his late MLAs who had given a befitting reply to an arrogant MLA in the Assembly for insulting the Marathi language. He emphasized that the reaction at that time was not a personal feud, but to protect Marathi honor. Tauntingly, he said that the intentions and motives of those involved in the scenes that are now emerging should also be investigated.
Assembly Session Spends Two Crores in a Day
Raj Thackeray also expressed concern about the expenditure being incurred in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly session. He said that even though he does not have the exact figures, according to an old estimate, the cost of one day of the Assembly session is about one and a half to two crore rupees. He questioned whether the public's tax money is for such political theatrics and mutual quarrels.
The MNS chief said that Maharashtra is already struggling with many serious problems. The state's treasury is empty, contractors' payments are pending, and districts are not getting development funds. In such a situation, if the Assembly session is being used only for mutual conflicts and showmanship, then it is extremely shameful.
Are Such Commotions Only Meant to Be in the Media?
Raj Thackeray questioned whether such shallow incidents are deliberately orchestrated to grab headlines in the media and ignore real issues. He warned that if such behavior is ignored today, in the future, incidents like the murder of MLAs inside the Vidhan Bhavan will also be considered "normal." This would be a dangerous sign for democracy and law and order.
Open Challenge to the Government
Raj Thackeray finally issued an open challenge to the government. He said, "If there is even a shred of honesty left in the ruling parties, then they should take strict action against their own leaders and workers." He bluntly stated that if the government does not want to take action, then they should not lecture him on morality when his 'Maharashtra soldiers' deal with Marathi opponents.
Raj Thackeray's reaction once again forces deep reflection on Marathi pride, political responsibility, and the conduct of MLAs in Maharashtra politics. After the clash at a democratic site like Vidhan Bhavan, the question now arises whether the level of politics has really fallen so low that those who make the laws are seen breaking the laws themselves?
