‘PM Modi Asked Me If He Should Speak In Marathi Or Hindi’: 26/11 Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam On His Candid Phonecall After Rajya Sabha Nomination

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally informed Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam of his nomination to the Rajya Sabha, in a candid and heartfelt phone call on Saturday, July 12.

“PM Modi called me and asked if he should speak in Hindi or in Marathi. Both of us started laughing,” Nikam said, adding that the Prime Minister then switched to Marathi and told him that the President wished to entrust him with new responsibilities.

“I immediately said yes,” Nikam told reporters in Mumbai, expressing gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu and the BJP leadership.

Nikam, known for representing the prosecution in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, is among four eminent individuals nominated to the Rajya Sabha in a Gazette notification issued late Saturday night by the Centre.

PM Congratulates Nikam On His Nomination

Congratulating the veteran lawyer, Prime Minister Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Ujjwal Nikam's “devotion to the legal field and to the Constitution is exemplary.” He praised Nikam’s consistent efforts to seek justice and uphold the dignity of common citizens, noting that he “has not only been a successful lawyer but also been at the forefront of seeking justice in important cases.”

In his own words, Nikam said the nomination came after a meeting with PM Modi during the Lok Sabha election campaign, where the Prime Minister had expressed his trust in him. “Yesterday, PM Modi called to inform me about the nomination… I thank the party leadership,” Nikam said.

Who is Ujjwal Nikam?

Ujjwal Deorao Nikam is one of India’s most high-profile lawyers and served as the special public prosecutor in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks trial. His work on the case earned him national recognition and public trust for his role in securing justice during a sensitive and traumatic chapter in India's history.

Nominated under Article 80 of the Constitution, which allows the President to appoint 12 eminent individuals to the Council of States, Nikam joins a list that also includes former diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Kerala BJP leader C Sadanandan Master, and historian Dr Meenakshi Jain.