‘Marathi Not a Must to Live in Mumbai’ RSS Leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi Sparks Outrage Amid Language Row
Mumbai, March 06, 2025 – A fresh controversy erupted in Maharashtra after senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi claimed that knowing Marathi isn’t essential to live in Mumbai. Speaking at an event in Ghatkopar on Wednesday, Joshi argued, “Mumbai doesn’t have one language. Ghatkopar speaks Gujarati, so learning Marathi isn’t a must.” His remarks, made with BJP minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on stage, have drawn sharp criticism amid a heated national language debate.
The timing couldn’t be worse. Maharashtra’s BJP-led government recently mandated Marathi in schools to boost its use, a move backed by parties like Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). These groups have long championed Marathi pride, with MNS activists even attacking non-Marathi speakers in cities like Mumbai and Pune in 2024. Joshi’s stance clashes directly with this push, fueling tensions.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut didn’t hold back, slamming Joshi and the RSS—seen as the BJP’s ideological backbone. “Who gave him the right to say Marathi isn’t Mumbai’s language?” Raut fumed at a Thane press conference. “Can you tell Kolkata Bengali isn’t theirs, or Chennai Tamil isn’t theirs? Try saying that in Lucknow in front of Yogi Adityanath!” He accused the RSS of undermining Maharashtra’s identity.
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This flare-up mirrors a broader north-south divide. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK is battling the Centre’s three-language formula in the New Education Policy (NEP), calling it a ploy to impose Hindi. The Centre insists it’s about job-ready skills, but southern states like Tamil Nadu—where students learn Tamil and English—see it as cultural overreach. Mumbai, a melting pot with 43% non-Marathi speakers per the 2011 Census, now finds itself at a similar crossroads.
Posts on X reflect the outrage, with #MarathiPride trending as users blast Joshi. The RSS hasn’t responded, but the BJP faces pressure to clarify its stance. As Maharashtra’s language row simmers alongside Tamil Nadu’s, Joshi’s words have lit a match in an already tense debate over identity and belonging.
