Mumbai: Investor Sushil Kedia on Saturday issued a public apology and announced that he would withdraw his earlier remarks about not learning Marathi, hours after his office in Worli was vandalised by unidentified men shouting slogans in support of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and its chief Raj Thackeray.
Kedia, who had earlier challenged Raj Thackeray and vowed never to learn Marathi, said his post on X was made “under duress and stress” and had been “misinterpreted” to fuel controversy. “My tweet happened in the wrong state of mind under duress and stress and now it is being manipulated to serve the interest of those who are looking to gain from this controversy,” he said.
He further acknowledged his mistake and said he hoped the “environment improves” so that Marathi could be accepted “with ease.” “I realised I must take back my over-reactions and withdraw… I accept my mistake and request apology,” he added.
Earlier, Kedia had taken to X (formerly Twitter), saying, “I don’t know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai & with your gross misconduct I have made it a resolve that until such people as you are allowed to pretend to be taking care of Marathi Manus I take pratigya I won’t learn Marathi. Kya karna hai bol?”
Soon after the post, unknown persons reportedly pelted stones at his office in Worli while shouting slogans praising Raj Thackeray and the Marathi identity. Kedia later approached the Mumbai Police after receiving threats related to his social media post.
The incident comes amid growing tension over the Marathi versus non-Marathi identity issue in Maharashtra. Just a day earlier, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had stated that the government would not tolerate “hooliganism in the name of language.” His comments followed another incident in Bhayander where MNS workers thrashed a food stall owner for not speaking Marathi.
The latest episode has further intensified the debate over linguistic identity and political violence in the state, with opposition leaders and civil society raising concerns over freedom of speech and public safety.