'Mumbai ke samundar mein': Raj Thackeray counters BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's 'patak ke maarenge' with 'dubo ke maarenge'; language row escalates

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Friday hit back at BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's 'patak ke maarenge' remark, daring the BJP leader to come to Mumbai. "A BJP MP said, 'Marathi logon ko hum yahan pe patak patak ke maarenge'...You

come to Mumbai. Mumbai ke samundar mein dubo dubo ke maarenge," Thackeray said in Hindi amid the language debate in Maharashtra.

Thackeray's remark comes after Nishikant Dubey defended his "tumko patak patak ke marenge" remark on Friday and said that Mumbai is not only for Marathis, and reiterated his warning to Uddhav and Raj Thackeray.Earlier this month, Dubey warned opponents that "tumko patak patak ke marenge" (we’ll thrash you thoroughly) while responding to MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s call to target Hindi speakers.

Speaking at a rally at Mira Bhayandar near Mumbai, Raj on Friday also warned that if Hindi was made mandatory for Classes 1 to 5 in schools in Maharashtra, his party will "shut down schools".He also said that everyone living in Maharashtra should learn Marathi. "I will not make any compromises over Marathi and the people of Maharashtra. Those who live in Maharashtra, to them I would like to say 'learn Marathi as soon as possible, wherever you go, speak Marathi'," the MNS chief said.

Earlier this month, the BJP-led government had withdrawn two orders making Hindi mandatory in primary schools following strong opposition by several organisations and political parties, including the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Raj's estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray.