Raj Thackeray Changes Stance, Seeks Votes for Maha Ekikaran Samiti in K’taka after Row

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray’s tweet regarding the upcoming Karnataka elections has stirred a controversy in the state.

In his tweet, Thackeray urged people to vote for “Marathi-speaking candidates of any party”. However, the tweet was later deleted from his official account. He later posted another tweet, urging “Marathi-speaking people of Karnataka to vote for the ‘Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti’ and their candidates”.

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Why did Thackeray delete the earlier tweet? Why did he change his stance within few hours of his first tweet?

These questions are still unanswered.

THE BACKLASH

Thackeray’s stance that Marathi-speaking candidate of any party should raise his voice for Marathi-speaking people of Karnataka in the state assembly had upset the ‘Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti’. The youth wing of the samiti expressed their anger on Twitter by replying to it.

The tweet by ‘Maharashtra Ekikaran Yuva Samiti’ read: “We will fight for the dream of ‘Samyukt Maharashtra’ along with Belgaum. We will also try to get the Marathi-speaking candidates of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti elected. But your tweet suggests that you are supporting a state which is attempting to abolish Marathi culture. You are a seasoned politician and you should understand what is good and bad.”

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THE RESPONSE

Within a few hours of his tweet, Thackeray put out a new tweet in support of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti.

The tweet stated: “Karnataka will cast votes on May 10. I urge my Marathi brothers and sisters in the border areas to vote unitedly for the candidates of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti. Even if the candidates of other parties are Marathi, after being elected, they will not voice your concerns and issues in the Vidhan Bhavan against the strangulation of Marathi language or the injustice done to Marathi people in the border areas…”

“I am of the firm opinion that you should respect the language and culture of the state you belong to. The brothers living in the border area for many generations have respected the Kannada language and culture here. But still, if the government there is going to harass the Marathi people, try to strangle the Marathi language, then it will not be tolerated. Let the government of any party come there, there is no difference in their behavior. That is why there should be Marathi-speaking MLAs in the legislature, who will represent the Marathi identity of that area, who will raise voice for the issues of Marathi people,” it added.

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