Mumbai: A fresh political controversy erupted in Maharashtra on Friday after Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ended his speech at a Pune event with the slogan “Jai Gujarat”, following “Jai Maharashtra” and “Jai Hind”. The remark came amid a volatile atmosphere already stirred by recent assaults on shopkeepers by MNS workers for allegedly not speaking Marathi.
જય શ્રી કૃષ્ણ @mieknathshinde જી,
— Clyde Crasto – क्लाईड क्रास्टो 🇮🇳 (@Clyde_Crasto) July 4, 2025
કેમ છો ?
सत्तेच्या हव्यासा पोटी, जय गुजरात???🤔#EknathShinde
Shinde praised Union Home Minister Amit Shah—a prominent BJP leader from Gujarat—during his speech and concluded with:
“Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra, Jai Gujarat.”
The phrase has drawn criticism from the opposition. Clyde Crasto, a spokesperson for Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), accused Shinde of being “greedy for power” and pandering to Gujarat leaders like Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Fadnavis Comes to Shinde’s Defence
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the outrage, calling it “parochial thinking” to suggest that Shinde’s slogan implied any lesser regard for Maharashtra.
“Just because Shinde said ‘Jai Gujarat’, it doesn’t mean he loves Gujarat more than Maharashtra,” Fadnavis told reporters.
Context: MNS Assault and Language Row
The slogan controversy follows closely on the heels of violent incidents involving Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers, who were caught on video thrashing shopkeepers in Thane’s Bhayander area for not speaking Marathi.
Fadnavis had earlier condemned the violence, stating:
“We are proud of Marathi, but hooliganism in the name of language will not be tolerated.”
Shinde Sena Responds
Pratap Sarnaik, transport minister and member of Shinde’s Shiv Sena, also took aim at the MNS:
“Does the MNS alone possess the right to fight for the Marathi language?… Traders should not be threatened. I asked the police to act, and they have done so.”
Background: Education Policy & Civic Polls
The incident surfaces just as the BJP-led state government faces heat for an earlier move to introduce Hindi as a third language from Class 1, which was later withdrawn after backlash.
With civic polls approaching, language and identity issues are once again taking centre stage in Maharashtra’s heated political climate.