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Marathi Language Row:  In a shocking turn of events, businessman and investor Sushil Kedia issued an apology to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray over his anti-Marathi remarks and a post on social media challenging the latter.

Sushil Kedia issued a four-minute-long apology video on X (formerly Twitter), hours after MNS supporters vandalised his office in Worli after he challenged Raj Thackeray while asserting that we would not learn Marathi.

In the video posted by Kedia on X, he praised the MNS chief by calling him a ‘hero’ and admitted that he was not in the right state of mind while posting critical comments about the MNS chief and the Marathi language.

“Having come under pressure mentally from the violence inflicted on those who do not know Marathi, I ended up overreacting. I realised I must take back my over-reactions and withdraw,” he said.

“Even after living for 30 years in Mumbai, the level of proficiency and fluency that a native Marathi born can have, we will not be able to achieve and for avoiding any embarrassments or confusion, one has been using Marathi language only in less than formal situations, with a casual atmosphere only before people very closely known to them. It has not happened to me in the use of seven other Indian languages that I could learn over a period of time,” he added.

What Was The Row?

Following several incidents of people getting thrashed in Maharashtra over the non-use of the Marathi language, the investor expressed his anger against Raj Thackeray and his party on Friday. The language row is linked to the imposition of the Hindi language, and the three-language policy in state schools came into the limelight.

Kedia on X said, “Do note @RajThackeray 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?”

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Following the anti-remarks over the Marathi language and the MNS chief, some individuals threw stones at his office and vandalised the infrastructure in the morning. The individuals also raised slogans in support of the MNS chief and the Marathi language. The attack was recorded on camera, and several videos of the incident went viral on social media.

Soon after the vandalism, the business again tagged Raj Thackeray on X and said, “If I am not confident of the quality of Marathi I can speak, with so much threatening around, even more fear happens that if I miss speaking any word(s) improperly, more violence will happen”

The five MNS supporters were arrested in connection with the attack, and a further probe is underway, a Worli police station official said.

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