In a bid to douse the political fire over his comments on Marathi language in Mumbai, former RSS Sarkaryavah (chief general secretary) Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi said that his remark was “misunderstood”.
"Mumbai doesn't have a single language. It has many languages,” Joshi had said at an event in Ghatkopar on Wednesday. “Each part of Mumbai has a different language. Ghatkopar area's language is Gujarati. So, if you are residing in Mumbai, it is not necessary that you have to learn Marathi."
#WATCH | Mumbai: On row over his statement, RSS leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi says, "Due to one of my statements, a misunderstanding has occurred. There is no question that the language of Mumbai is not Marathi. The language of Maharashtra is Marathi. Mumbai is in Maharashtra and… pic.twitter.com/1dS7kj90sa
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2025
His remarks came under heavy fire from all sections of the Marathi community, and the opposition led by Shiv Sena (UBT). Party chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded that Joshi be booked for treason. He also alleged that the RSS leader’s remarks reflect the hidden agenda of the RSS and the BJP to divide Mumbai.
Though Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tried to dismiss the matter in the state assembly by saying that Marathi is the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra and anyone who lives here should learn and speak it, and that his government respects all languages, the opposition did not relent.
Joshi, while speaking to ANI, too tried to downplay the issue, saying that there is no question that the language of Mumbai and Maharashtra is Marathi, and that people living in Mumbai are expected to learn the language.
The matter has put the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra in an awkward situation. Joshi, a Marathi manoos who spent most his life as RSS pracharak in Maharashtra, had stayed away from politics till he reached second most powerful position in the organisation.
Continuing his attack on Joshi, Uddhav Thackeray dared him to make such comments in Gujarat, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. “Just because the "Marathi manoos" is welcoming, does not mean anyone can hit him, he said. Joshi should either apologise or the state government should take strong action against him, Thackeray added.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief along with the leaders of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi staged a protest against Joshi's remarks, at Hutatma Chowk in south Mumbai and paid homage to the martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement in 1950s.
Thackeray also said that RSS is now speaking in favour of the Gujarati community because it wants BJP to win municipal elections in Mumbai. "Nobody has stopped you from winning elections, but win them on the basis of good work and not by creating a language-based division."
He also dared Fadnavis to call Joshi a 'chillar' (insignificant) person.
(With inputs from Dnyanesh Jathar)
