Shikhar Pahariya, the grandson of former Maharashtra CM Sushilkumar Shinde and the boyfriend of actress Janhvi Kapoor, strongly condemned the Marathi language imposition row that has erupted in Maharashtra. It started after several incidents of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers using violence against the non-Marathi population in the state came to light.
Shikhar took to his Instagram handle and penned a note stating that any language cannot be taught and imposed by using fear as a weapon. He also asked what would be the public reaction if the same thing was done with the people of Maharashtra living in other states.
Shikhar Pahariya's statement
"Let our Marathi Asmita shine through inclusion, not intimidation. Let us protect Marathi by celebrating it, not weaponising it," he began, adding, "Asmita, a sense of self and identity, should uplift, not divide. It should give us pride, not prejudice, no matter where in India we are from or what language we speak."
Shikhar went on to explain, "Marathi Asmita is real. It is deep, emotional, and rooted in our way of life. As someone from Solapur, I understand this deeply. Language shapes who we are, it has shaped our states, our stories, given us poets, songs, and revolutions. Marathi is no exception. It must be preserved, protected, and passed on, just like all of our languages. But that pride cannot come at the cost of others' dignity. Especially others who are making a honest, hard living."
He further continued, "So many from Solapur travel to Delhi, Chennai, or Kolkata to work hard and build a future. Imagine if they were made to feel unwelcome there, humiliated for the language they spoke. What would we say then? When people are struggling and working hard, away from their families, this imposition through violent action is unacceptable."
"It is not a tragedy that people speak Hindi, Tamil, or Gujarati in Mumbai. The real tragedy is believing this is a threat to Marathi. We cannot keep a language alive through fear," he added.
"Mumbai, Maharashtra, and India belong to all those who live with dignity, work with honesty, and speak with kindness, whatever their language. Let our Marathi Asmita shine through inclusion, not intimidation. Let us protect Marathi by celebrating it, not weaponising it," he concluded.
Netizens support Shikhar Pahariya
Among the first ones to support Shikhar as soon as he shared the post was none other than girlfriend Janhvi Kapoor. She 'liked' the post, along with Arjun Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Orry, and others.
Netizens too lauded Shikhar for his stance and wrote, "Well Said 👏 This is how one should explain & make people understand rather than creating fear among each other! (sic)".
Meanwhile, Shikhar is a professional polo player and he has represented India in several international tournaments. He also has multiple business ventures and investments of his own, along with their family business.
