Fadnavis Defends Nishikant Dubey For 'Patak Patak Ke Maarenge' Remark On Marathi Row. Then Calls It 'Inappropriate'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) As Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey created a flutter with his“patak patak ke maarenge” remark amid a language row in Maharashtra over alleged 'Hindi imposition', his party colleague and Maharashtra Chief Minsiter Devendra Fadnavis defended him, saying the comments were not meant against the Marathi people in general. In the same remarks, Defendra Fadnavis also called the remark“inappropriate” that risked creating confusion.

Nishikant Dubey , the Lok Sabha MP from Jharkhand's Godda, had put out a controversial post amid the ongoing language row in Maharashtra and attacks on non-Marathi speaking people.

He said,“To those beating Hindi speakers in Mumbai, if you have the courage, try beating Urdu speakers in Maharashtra. Even a dog is a tiger in its own home. Decide for yourself who is the dog and who is the tiger.”

The BJP MP said,“Tumko patak patak ke maarenge [You will be thrashed badly, again and again]” – comments seen as challenging Raj Thackeray whose party is embroiled in the controversy of attacking a business owner who did not speak in Marathi. Also Read | Priyanka Chaturvedi hits back at Nishikant Dubey for slamming Raj Thackeray amid Hindi-Marathi row: 'Who made him...'

When asked about the controversy Nishikant Dubey's comments created, Fadnavis said,“If you listen to the complete statement of Nishikant Dubey, he particularly spoke about an organisation and not against Marathi people in general.”

“However, in my opinion, it is inappropriate to make such comments. Its interpretation causes confusion among the minds of people.”

The biggest contribution to the country's GDP comes from Maharashtra, the chief minister told reporters.“I feel no one can reject the contribution of Maharashtra and Marathi people in the history and present of the country. If someone is rejecting it, then I feel it is wrong,” Devendra Fadnavis said.

“I repeat my comments again, Marathi people have immensely contributed to the state. When invaders tried to attack our culture, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Marathas fought across the country. During the third battle of Panipat, Abdali was ready to seal a pact but our Marathas did not so it,” Fadnavis said.

(With agency inputs)

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