Aamir Khan voted in BMC election and urged Mumbaikars to vote, praising polling arrangements
Aamir spoke in Marathi, then said it is Maharashtra’s language. He then repeated the message in Hindi
Language tensions rose ahead of BMC polls with BJP and Thackeray brothers clashing over mayor’s language
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Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan waded into the Marathi vs Hindi language row when he turned up to vote in the election to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Interacting with the media he appealed to Mumbaikars to come out and vote in the civic election and lauded the arrangements for the polling. As he spoke in Marathi, some media persons asked him to repeat the message in Hindi.
“Hindi mein? yeh Maharashtra hai, bhai (In Hindi? This is Maharashtra),” Aamir
replies with a smile. When a journalist told him his message would also be aired in Delhi, the actor said, “Oh, it will go to Delhi as well? Very good arrangements have been made.
Language is a sensitive issue in Maharashtra, and the Hindi vs Marathi debate has reignited in the run-up to the BMC election. BJP leader Kripashankar Singh’s claim that a Hindi speaker will emerge as Mumbai’s Mayor drew strong reactions from Thackeray brothers Uddhav and Raj, who reunited after two decades.
The Thackerays have appealed to the ‘Marathi Manoos’ that they should not get divided. “This is the last election for the Marathi man. If you miss this opportunity today, you will be finished. Unite for Marathi and Maharashtra. Mumbai was obtained through the sacrifices of so many people,” Raj Thackeray said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said
non-Marathi speakers are 100 per cent safe in Mumbai and slammed the Thackerays for targeting underprivileged sections. Adding that this is the third generation of North Indians living in Mumbai, and are complete Mumbaikars in their food habits, culture and festivals. There have been a few incidents, and who do they target? Cab drivers, auto-rickshaw drivers. They do it for their publicity,” he said.
News Edit KV Raman
