Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, a senior leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), talked about the languages spoken in Mumbai and caused some confusion. He mentioned that Mumbai doesn’t only have one language. According to him, different areas speak different languages, and in Ghatkopar, for example, many people speak Gujarati. He suggested that living in Mumbai doesn’t mean you need to speak Marathi, the main language of Maharashtra.
However, after his comments got a lot of attention, Joshi clarified his statement. He told ANI that he didn’t mean to say Marathi wasn’t important. He confirmed that while many languages are spoken in Mumbai, Marathi is still the main language, since Mumbai is in Maharashtra. He expects that people moving to the city should make an effort to learn and understand Marathi.
In support of this, Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, stated that learning Marathi is important because it is part of the state’s culture and identity. He emphasized that everyone living in Mumbai should know the language.
Aaditya Thackeray from the Shiv Sena (UBT) criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stating that people from other places should respect the local language, just like they do in other states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
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