Mumbai, July 4 (IANS) As political tensions in Maharashtra continue to rise over Hindi language imposition, Shiv Sena-UBT spokesperson Anand Dubey on Friday strongly condemned the remarks made by BJP leader and Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane regarding a recent assault incident.

Dubey made it clear that his party does not support any form of violence or assault, and accused the BJP of politicising the issue to provoke communal sentiments.

The controversy stems from a recent incident involving a shopkeeper who was reportedly assaulted for refusing to speak Marathi. In reaction, BJP leader Nitesh Rane issued a provocative statement directed at Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), challenging them to confront Muslims who, he claimed, also don’t speak Marathi. Rane warned that if Hindus were targeted, the “third eye” of the Mahayuti government would be awakened.

Speaking to IANS, Anand Dubey said: “Our party categorically does not support any form of assault or violence. People who speak Hindi, Gujarati, Marwari – they are all our fellow countrymen. They have been living and working in Maharashtra for decades. We believe they should learn Marathi, which is a beautiful language written in the Devanagari script. In fact, the Shiv Sena-UBT is even ready to teach Marathi to those who want to learn it.”

Dubey emphasised that the recent incident was a personal dispute and should not be blown out of proportion.

“This was not a linguistic issue. BJP is trying to provoke the matter for political mileage. We, in the Shiv Sena-UBT, promote harmony, peace, and unity among all communities,” he added.

Dubey further reacted to AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi’s recent criticism of the Uttar Pradesh administration for allegedly enabling vigilante groups to harass hotel staff during the ongoing Kanwar Yatra. Owaisi had questioned why such groups are being allowed to operate as a “parallel government,” citing reports of pilgrims forcing men to remove their pants to “prove their religion.”

Dubey responded by saying: “The Kanwar Yatra is a sacred pilgrimage in Hinduism where devotees offer water to Lord Shiva. While security is important and the police must maintain order, the enforcement should be lawful and respectful. Mixing faith with aggression or coercion is unacceptable. Sentiments must be protected, but not at the cost of dignity. Law enforcement must act with sensitivity and discretion.”

Addressing Owaisi’s announcement that the AIMIM may contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections in alliance with the INDIA Bloc, Dubey clarified the Shiv Sena-UBT’s stance.

“Political alliances are a party’s internal matter. The AIMIM is not part of the INDIA bloc, while the RJD is. Bihar’s political landscape is based on its own dynamics, and every state has different socio-political realities. Maharashtra’s politics cannot be compared with Bihar’s,: Dubey said.

Dubey also reacted to the ongoing debate surrounding the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls ahead of the Bihar polls. Several opposition parties, including INDIA Bloc members, have raised serious concerns about potential voter disenfranchisement, claiming that the SIR could result in the removal of over two crore voters.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has maintained that the process is fair, inclusive, and transparent. He stated that the goal is to include all eligible voters while removing only those who are ineligible.

Despite this reassurance, Dubey expressed scepticism, citing past concerns over the neutrality of the Election Commission.

“We expect CEC Gyanesh Kumar to ensure there is no tampering or carelessness in the electoral roll. Every Indian citizen who wants to register to vote must be allowed to do so through a fair and transparent process. The BJP’s political manipulations should not be allowed to interfere with democracy,” he said.

“We have witnessed the golden era of election commissioners like T.N. Seshan, who upheld the integrity of the democratic process. Today, however, it feels as if the Election Commission is increasingly acting under pressure from the Central government. We hope Gyanesh Kumar will take steps to restore public trust, especially with Bihar’s elections around the corner.”

–IANS

jk/vd