Sanjay Dutt's Yerwada Jail Quip Ignites Marathi Row, Entangles Sena Minister

Actor Sanjay Dutt, who spent many years in jail for keeping illegal firearms including an assault rifle, has stepped on a landmine with his comments on one of the most emotive issues in Maharashtra - the Marathi language.

In addition to the comments, the Munna Bhai MBBS actor drew the attention of Marathi leaders after he tied up the remarks with a big laugh coming from a Shiv Sena leader.

Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who belongs to the Shiv Sena, had asked Dutt to speak in Marathi while attending a Dahi Handi event.

"I spent six years in Yerwada Jail, yet I could not learn Marathi," the actor said and laughed. 

The Sena MLA, soon after the actor made the comments, became a target of Marathi leaders who had criticised Dutt too.

BJP MLA Narendra Mehta questioned Sarnaik for laughing over someone casually saying they didn't know Marathi, while the common people get threats and beatings over the regional language issue.

"If an actor does not know Marathi, he laughs at it, while on the other hand ordinary autorickshaw drivers are being threatened over the Marathi language," Mehta said.

"What kind of justice is this?" he said.

BJP MLA Narendra Mehta

The BJP MLA alleged the Sena leader's words and actions are vastly different. "Eknath Shinde never allowed him to do anything. He is there because a dummy minister is needed," Mehta said. 

A day ago, Sarnaik had taken potshots at Mehta - without taking his name - at an event in Thane's Mira Bhayandar.

The Congress party entered the scene with allegations that the Sena has been playing politics over the language issue without actually doing anything to promote it.

"What has the Shiv Sena done for the development of the language? If Marathi has received Classical Language status today, the groundwork for it was laid by Prithviraj Chavan," Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said.

"People come to Maharashtra for work. But the BJP and the Sena led by Shinde only engage in politics over language," he added.

The Marathi language issue has led to attacks on people who came from outside the state. Marathi groups say the local language cannot be ignored in formal and public communications.