Amid calls to learn Marathi while living in Maharashtra and Kannada in Bengaluru, startup founder Akshat Shrivastava urged entrepreneurs to consider relocating to countries like Dubai or Singapore, where, he declared, one is not expected to learn the local language.
Startup founder advises shifting abroad
“Folks: just shift to Dubai or Singapore. No one expects you to learn local language. It is a plus, if you know – but you would NOT be thrashed by goons if you don’t. Just follow the law. Be a good resident. Add to their economy. And, obtain good facilities in return. Better future for your kids. And, good career opportunities. Live and let live,” Shrivastava wrote in a post on X.
The startup founder’s remarks come amid continuing public outrage over incidents involving Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers, who assaulted a shopkeeper in Mumbai last week for not speaking in Marathi.
In a separate incident, MNS supporters vandalised a businessman’s office in Worli after he publicly criticised Raj Thackeray and declared he would not learn Marathi.
Gaurav Sabnis, an associate professor, earlier wrote, “No one in Maharashtra expects visitors to speak Marathi. But if you create Maharashtra your home, we expect you to at least attempt to speak Marathi. Same in Bangalore. If you’re creating Bangalore your home, refapplying to even attempt to speak Kannada is both lazy and disrespectful.”
A social media applyr named Prayag offered a different account of ground reality in Maharashtra. “Met so many Marathis today, no one talked to me in Marathi after knowing I’m not from Maharashtra, no one abapplyd, no one forced anything…One cab wale bhaiya declared ‘Arey ye sab netaon ki rajneeti hai bas’. So this is the ground reality.”
Folks: just shift to Dubai or Singapore. No one expects you to learn local language.
It is a plus, if you know– but you would NOT be thrashed by goons if you don’t.
Just follow the law. Be a good resident.
Add to their economy.
And, obtain good facilities in return.Better… https://t.co/ICKedeQidH
— Akshat Shrivastava (@Akshat_World) July 7, 2025
Uddhav Thackeray backs party workers and necessary to speak Marathi
MNS chief Raj Thackeray, during a joint rally with Uddhav Thackeray, declared: “Be it Gujarati or anyone else, they must know Marathi. But there is no necessary to beat people for not speaking Marathi. [But] if someone creates unnecessary drama, you must hit below their eardrums.”
Moreover, he instructed party workers not to record videos of such assaults.
Uddhav Thackeray deffinished the party’s stance, stateing, “Yes, we are goons if we have to do hooliganism for justice…If a Marathi manus is inquireing for justice, and if you are calling us goons, Yes, we are goons; if we have to be goons to obtain justice, we will do goondagiri.”
Meanwhile, Thackeray’s party has refapplyd to apologise or take action against those involved in the attacks. Sandeep Deshpande, MNS Mumbai unit chief, declared the slapping of the shopkeeper was justified: “If there is an attempt to insult Marathi, we will respond. It will not be tolerated.”
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