Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' dares Thackeray cousins to drive him out for speaking Bhojpuri

Mumbai, July 6 (PTI) With MNS resorting to street-fighting over Marathi, actor and singer Dinesh Lal Yadav, popularly known as Nirahua, has dared the Thackeray cousins to drive him out of Maharashtra for speaking in Bhojpuri.

Hitting back, an MNS leader said Yadav should visit Maharashtra if he has guts.

Yadav had unsuccessfully contested the 2024 elections from Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency against Samajwadi Party's Dharmendra Yadav.

"I am giving an open challenge. I do not speak Marathi. I speak Bhojpuri, and I am staying in Maharashtra. Why are you driving poor people out? If you have the courage then drive me out. I am giving you a challenge, even in Mumbai," Yadav told reporters.

He alleged dirty politics behind attempts to create a rift among people over language.

"The beauty of the country is the diversity of languages and people speaking different mother tongues are living amicably. You want to destroy this beauty," he added.

Amid allegations of the state government "imposing" Hindi language in Maharashtra, MNS workers thrashed a shopkeeper near Mumbai for not speaking Marathi. On Saturday, the glass door of the office of share market investor Sushil Kedia was vandalised after he declared he wouldn't speak Marathi.

Days after the government withdrew its orders on introducing Hindi as a third language in primary schools, MNS president Raj Thackeray and his cousin Uddhav Thackeray held a "victory" rally on July 5 and reunited after 20 years.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Yashwant Killedar dared Yadav to visit Maharashtra instead of making such remarks by sitting in Uttar Pradesh.

He will know about his challenge, and MNS workers will hit his cheeks, Killedar said.

Rattled by the unity of the Marathi manoos, the BJP is propping up such people who are sponsored by the government, he alleged.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former mayor Kishori Pednekar said no one wants to resort to violence and that both leaders (Uddhav and Raj) have explained their position. "Should we fold our hands before them (who make such comments)?" she asked. PTI PR NSK