Vaishali (Bihar) [India], July 5 : Reacting to a viral video from Maharashtra's Thane district showing a shop owner being assaulted allegedly for not speaking in Marathi, Union Minister Chirag Paswan strongly condemned the incident.
Speaking to reporters in Vaishali on Friday, Bihar, Paswan said, "It is beyond my understanding how many divisions will be created among Indians -- sometimes in the name of region, sometimes language, religion, or caste."
While advocating for pride in one's mother tongue, the minister urged for sensitivity and mutual respect.
"I support the idea that your mother tongue should be your pride, but there needs to be enough sensitivity that if someone from outside does not understand it, it does not mean we become so intolerant and start resorting to violence," he added.
Highlighting India's multicultural ethos, Paswan said, "From north to south, east to west, there are different languages and cultures. Unity in diversity has always been our identity."
He also accused certain political leaders of promoting divisive agendas for personal gain. "But some leaders, to fulfill their ambitions, engage in such divisive politics, and I condemn this," he said.
The incident in Thane has sparked widespread outrage on social media.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday warned of strict legal action against those engaging in "hooliganism" in the name of Marathi. He stated that the Mahayuti government will not tolerate violence against common people.
"It is not wrong to be proud of the Marathi language in Maharashtra. But if someone indulges in hooliganism due to language, we will not tolerate it. If someone beats up people on the basis of language, this will not be tolerated. The police have filed an FIR and taken action on the incident, and if anyone creates such a language dispute in future, legal action will be taken," Fadnavis told reporters.