"Hooliganism his only purpose": BJP MP Nishikant Dubey slams Raj Thackeray amid Hindi-Marathi row

New Delhi [India], July 8 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Tuesday lashed out at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray after incidents of violence and vandalism by MNS workers were reported in the state amid Hindi-Marathi language row.
Sharing a 2207 incident of violence by MNS workers on a student from Bihar mentioned in Wikileaks, Nishikant Dubey stated that "hooliganism" is Raj Thackeray's sole purpose, which the MNS chief does "out of fear" of losing Municipal Corporation elections.

यह 2007 का Wikileaks है
राज ठाकरे को जनता का समर्थन नहीं मिलता तो गुंडे को आगे करती है यानि गुंडागर्दी ही उसका मकसद है जो आनेवाले मुम्बई महानगर पालिका के चुनाव में हारने के डर से चुनाव के ऐन पहले करती है,मेरा विरोध ठाकरे की गुंडागर्दी से है और सहनशीलता की सीमाएं ख़त्म हो गई है… pic.twitter.com/F1ksXIyHQr

— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) July 8, 2025

In a post on X, Nishikant Dubey said, "When Raj Thackeray does not get public support, he puts goons forward, meaning hooliganism is his sole purpose, which he does just before the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections out of fear of losing."
"My opposition is to Thackeray's hooliganism, and the limits of tolerance have been exhausted," he added.
Nishikant Dubey, who earlier triggered a row over his comments, expressed his respect to the Maratha community.
"The Maratha community is always respectable, and the country belongs to all of us. Where I am an MP, Maratha Madhulimaye ji has been an MP three times in a row. We made a Maratha win the Lok Sabha against Indira Gandhi. Thackeray, come to your senses, don't make your fight about the Maratha community, we have contributed to Mumbai's development and will continue to do so," Dubey said.
Five workers of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have been arrested in connection with the vandalism at entrepreneur Sushil Kedia's office in Worli, police said on Saturday. A case has been registered against them under Sections 223, 189(2), 189(3), 190, 191(2), 191(3), and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Meanwhile, Dubey sparked a political row with his sharp response to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's statement.
Addressing Raj Thackeray's controversial instruction to his party workers, "beat but don't make a video," Dubey lashed out, saying, "If you dare to beat Hindi speakers, then beat those who speak Urdu, Tamil, and Telugu too. If you're such a 'boss', come out of Maharashtra--come to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu. 'Tumko patak patak ke maarenge'..."
Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Aaditya Thackeray alleged that Dubey held a visible hatred for Marathi identity. "Nishikant Dubey is not a Hindi-speaking spokesperson. The hatred for Marathi is visible in his mind. He has the responsibility of Bihar. Break and win the election; this is the usual thing," he further said. (ANI)