Veteran actress Renuka Shahane has spoken out about the ongoing tension between Marathi and Hindi speakers in Maharashtra, urging people to focus on respectful dialogue rather than resorting to aggression. In light of recent incidents where people were allegedly slapped for not speaking Marathi, Shahane stressed that such behavior does more harm than good to the cause of preserving any language
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She pointed out that languages grow through love, culture, and daily use—not by enforcing them through intimidation. According to her, using violence to promote Marathi will only create fear and division, and it risks turning people away from the language rather than encouraging them to learn and embrace it. Shahane emphasized that promoting Marathi should be a matter of pride, not pressure.
Calling for mutual respect and understanding, Shahane said Maharashtra has always been known for its inclusive and cultured society. Instead of creating language-based divides, she urged citizens to celebrate the richness of all Indian languages. In her view, meaningful efforts like including Marathi in educational systems, media, and everyday communication are more impactful ways to strengthen the language without alienating others.
