'Say will try to learn it': Ajit Pawar's advice to non-Marathi speaking people amid language row

As the language row is snowballing in the state, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar advised the non-Marathi speaking people to politely say "We do not know Marathi, we are learning it".

"Nothing will happen to someone who says that we are living in Maharashtra but can't speak very good Marathi. However, we respect the language and will try to learn it. It doesn't happen always, people react badly many times. You should respect the language of the state you live in, at least a little bit," he told the media.

Earlier in the day, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey received flak by women MPs from Maharashtra over his "Marathi logon ko hum yahan patak patak ke marenge (will thrash Maharashtrians here)" comment.

Furious over his remarks, the women MPs confronted him. Taken aback by the direct confrontation, Dubey appeared visibly rattled. In response, he said, “No, no… it’s not like that… Jai Maharashtra,” before exiting the scene.