Maharashtra Language Row: Congress Accuses BJP of Political Polarization

Amid a growing dispute over the Marathi language in Maharashtra, state Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, accusing them of undermining India's linguistic diversity. Speaking with ANI, Sapkal argued that while all languages should coexist harmoniously, the BJP appears to have an agenda against this diversity.

Sapkal claimed the BJP's tactics included stoking Hindu-Muslim and India-Pakistan divides in various matters. He argued that the BJP's push for unified national symbols like 'One language, One dress, One Nation, One Election' reveals a hidden political agenda to polarize the populace.

Opponents of Maharashtra's three-language policy slammed the state government for allegedly imposing Hindi, leading to violent incidents. Five Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers were arrested for vandalizing the office of entrepreneur Sushil Kedia. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray accused the BJP of fostering an anti-Marathi narrative to instill fear and instability.

(With inputs from agencies.)