Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 19 : Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey on Saturday slammed BJP MP Nishikant Dubey for his "patak-patak kar maarenge" remarks and defended MNS chief Raj Thackeray's statement.
Anand Dubey said that the BJP did not condemn Nishikant Dubey's statement and added that Raj Thackeray, being a politician, was simply hitting back when he said "dubo dubo ke maarenge".
Anand Dubey told ANI, "Nishikant Dubey started it and said, 'Marathi people do not have a contribution in India's development, these people only fight against each other. If they come to North India, hum inhe patak-patak kar maarenge (we will beat them).' No BJP leader reacted to this statement. No one condemned Nishikant Dubey's remarks, and no one demanded his resignation."
Defending Raj Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader added that he did not speak against the entire Dubey community, while Nishikant Dubey had threatened the Marathi community.
"Raj Thackeray is also a party leader and is hitting back. It is not like he said that for the whole Dubey community. However, Nishikant Dubey's remarks were for the whole community. That is the difference between the two. Raj Thackeray has always fought for 'Marathi mahnus' (Marathi person). If someone targets the whole community, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's party will not stay silent," he said.
Attacking the BJP MP, he further said, "If he is Dubey, even I am Dubey. Many of the Dubey are good, while Nishikant Dubey is an exception, that does not mean all Dubey are bad."
Earlier on Friday, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray responded to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's controversial "patak-patak ke maarenge" remarks and said, "A BJP MP said, 'Marathi logon ko hum yahan pe patak patak ke maarenge'... You come to Mumbai. Mumbai ke samundar mein dubo dubo ke maarenge."
He further said that those who live in Maharashtra should "learn Marathi as soon as possible."
"I will not make any compromises over Marathi and the people of Maharashtra. Those who live in Maharashtra, to them I would like to say 'learn Marathi as soon as possible, wherever you go, speak Marathi'. In Karnataka, they fight for their language. Even a rickshaw puller knows that the Government is standing behind him over language. Similarly, you be like a pillar and speak in Marathi only. This is what I have come to request all of you," Thackeray said while addressing a gathering in Mumbai.
In an interview with ANI, when Nishikant Dubey was asked about his controversial remarks, he said that he does not take the law into his hands.
"I am proud that my mother tongue is Hindi. Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are not big laat sahabs. I am an MP, do not take the law into my hands. Whenever they go out, whichever state they go to, the people of that place will beat them..." he said.
"If you beat up the poor, they will react one day. It is not only Hindi speakers. They protested against Gujaratis in 1956, then against South Indians, and now they are doing it against Hindi speakers. Their history is such that everyone is angry at them....Unka security vapis leljiye, agar ghar se bahar nikal jaye to main samajh jaun bahut bade sher hai (Take away their security, they will not leave their residence)," he added.