Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 7: The political row over actor Sanjay Dutt’s recent remarks about the Marathi language has intensified in Maharashtra, with BJP MLA Narendra Mehta targeting state Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik and questioning what he described as a double standard over the use of Marathi.
“An actor says he does not know Marathi and you laugh, but you threaten auto-rickshaw drivers over Marathi. What kind of justice is this?” Mehta asked, taking a direct swipe at Sarnaik. His remarks have once again brought differences within the ruling Mahayuti alliance into the spotlight.
The controversy began during a Dahi Handi programme organised by Sarnaik in Thane, where Sanjay Dutt reportedly said that he had spent six years in Yerawada jail but still did not learn Marathi. Sarnaik, who was standing beside the actor, was seen laughing at the remark. Mehta subsequently questioned Sarnaik over his response to Dutt’s comment.
Mehta said there was nothing wrong if an actor did not know Marathi, but questioned why ordinary auto-rickshaw drivers were being subjected to pressure over the language. “An artist does not know Marathi and you laugh about it. On the other hand, you force Marathi on ordinary auto-rickshaw drivers and threaten them. What kind of justice is this?” he said.
Mehta also launched a personal attack on Sarnaik, alleging that the minister’s words and actions were contradictory. He claimed that former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde had never allowed Sarnaik to function independently and described him as a “dummy minister”. These remarks come amid an ongoing political tussle between the BJP MLA and the Shiv Sena leader in the Mira-Bhayandar region.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of Sarnaik’s earlier push to make Marathi communication compulsory for auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers. In April, Sarnaik had announced measures requiring drivers to be able to communicate in Marathi, with the issue triggering opposition from sections of non-Marathi-speaking drivers and sharp criticism from Mehta.
Sarnaik later clarified that the government’s Marathi-learning initiative for auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers would continue, while action would be taken if anyone harassed non-Marathi-speaking drivers through intimidation or force. He also said that around 1.65 lakh non-Marathi-speaking auto and taxi drivers had learnt Marathi as part of the initiative.
Marathi language has remained a politically sensitive issue in Maharashtra, with political parties and organisations frequently demanding that local residents, shopkeepers, business establishments and service providers give priority to Marathi in public interactions. The latest controversy has raised questions over whether the same standards should apply to celebrities and other prominent personalities when political leaders insist on Marathi-language compliance among ordinary citizens.
The latest exchange also adds to the continuing political friction between Mehta and Sarnaik. The two leaders have traded accusations on several issues in recent months, including matters related to local development, transport policy and projects in Mira-Bhayandar. Their increasingly public confrontation has become a point of discussion within the Mahayuti alliance.
The controversy over Dutt’s remarks has therefore expanded beyond the actor’s comment, becoming another flashpoint in the ongoing political confrontation between the BJP and Shiv Sena leaders in the Mira-Bhayandar-Thane region.