Amit Thackeray's Strong Reaction to Prakash Surve's Statement

In Brief

• After meeting Pankaj Umasare at KEM Hospital, MNS leader Amit Thackeray spoke to the media

• Expressed strong reaction to the controversial statement of Dahisar MLA Prakash Surve.

• “Dahisar MLA Prakash Surve has made a servile statement about the Marathi language. I just heard it on my way here, what a servile statement he made."

After meeting Pankaj Umasare at KEM Hospital, MNS leader Amit Thackeray spoke to the media and expressed a strong reaction to the controversial statement of Dahisar MLA Prakash Surve.

Amit Thackeray said,

“Dahisar MLA Prakash Surve has made a derogatory statement about the Marathi language. I heard it just as I was coming, what a derogatory statement it was. He apologized, but an apology is like ‘let the mother die but not the aunt’. The mother means Marathi people and the aunt means North Indians… isn't that what was meant?”

He further said,

“It is a very shameful thing. Shiv Sena did politics for the Marathi people, they come from that party and such statements? Apologizing is not in my hands, it is in the hands of the Marathi people. It will be known in the elections how much was forgiven. If anyone had made such a statement, it would have been embarrassing. If Marathi people and outsiders come to elect you, will you sideline Marathi? Is the context wrong? It is very serious. A mistake can happen from one person, but such a mistake should not be repeated.”

When asked about the demand for resignation, they said,

“Whether to resign or not will be decided by Raj Saheb or senior leaders. But my only point is that this should not happen again.”

Speaking about the march and BJP's criticism, Amit Thackeray said,

“First, I want to see them, they should come out safely. We organized a big march, and after that BJP is criticizing. Some people say you showed duplicate names of Hindus, why not Muslims? Duplicate voters mean duplicate voters. It has no religion. I am in the party but first, I am a voter. If democracy is taken away from us, shouldn't we speak? We organized a march to the Election Commission. Why does BJP criticize? Today, the fourth MLA spoke, didn't they? They gave a presentation, explained in detail. They gave us what we wanted on a platter. My demand is that the investigation should not stop. Before the election, that list should be given to the commission and to us as well. If the commission does nothing, Raj Saheb will tell us what to do.”