Eknath Shinde’s ‘Jai Gujarat’ Slogan At Amit Shah Event Sparks Marathi Pride Row
Eknath Shinde’s ‘Jai Gujarat’ Slogan At Amit Shah Event Sparks Marathi Pride Row
Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has found himself at the center of a political storm after he ended his speech at a Pune event with the slogan “Jai Gujarat”, following “Jai Hind” and “Jai Maharashtra”.
The remark, made in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders who accused Shinde of compromising Marathi pride to appease central leaders from Gujarat.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Clyde Crasto slammed Shinde, calling him “greedy for power” and alleging the slogan was an attempt to curry favor with BJP leaders Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both hailing from Gujarat.
Fadnavis Defends Shinde Amid Backlash
Amid mounting criticism, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis came to Shinde’s defense. “Just because Shinde said ‘Jai Gujarat,’ it doesn’t mean he loves Gujarat more than Maharashtra. Such narrow thinking is not becoming of Marathi people,” Fadnavis told reporters.
The controversy erupted at a sensitive time when videos of MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) workers thrashing shopkeepers in Mumbai for allegedly refusing to speak Marathi have gone viral. Responding to this, Fadnavis asserted that while Marathi must be respected, “hooliganism in the name of language will not be tolerated.”
Shinde Camp Hits Back at MNS
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, a senior leader in Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, also criticized the MNS. “Does the MNS alone have the right to fight for Marathi? Targeting traders and taking the law into one’s hands for political or financial gains will not be tolerated,” Sarnaik said.
He added that his party takes pride in Marathi culture and Hindutva but urged restraint, assuring that police action has already been taken against those resorting to violence.
The row comes ahead of crucial civic polls and days after the state government withdrew its plan to introduce Hindi as a third language in schools from Class 1, a move that had also triggered opposition from pro-Marathi groups.
