A heated war of words between Raj Thackeray and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has sparked a political storm across Maharashtra. Their aggressive remarks with Thackeray threatening to “drown and thrash” in Mumbai’s sea and Dubey responding with threats to “beat up Marathi speakers” have drawn backlash, even from within the BJP-led alliance. The row escalated after the state government withdrew orders making Hindi a compulsory third language in schools, following opposition pressure.
Shiv Sena’s Shaina NC slammed the language used by both leaders, calling it hooliganism. “What is this duba-duba, patak-patak? Speak of development, not threats,” she said, urging a shift towards constructive politics. BJP’s Sudhir Mungantiwar also condemned the threats, saying, “No one can drown someone in the sea; we live by the Constitution.”
Meanwhile, Congress leader Surendra Rajput accused Dubey of stoking tensions in Mumbai for political mileage and criticized both him and Thackeray for divisive remarks. He also hit out at the Maharashtra government, claiming it was more interested in promoting Hindi than protecting Marathi. Raj Thackeray further warned that a larger agenda was at play, hinting that powerful business lobbies aimed to weaken Marathi influence in Mumbai.
