Will those inciting linguistic hatred take responsibility for Marathi teen's suicide, asks BJP leader

Mumbai, Nov 22 (PTI) Maharashtra BJP leader Chitra Wagh has asked whether the politicians who incite hatred for the speakers of a different language would take responsibility for the death of an 18-year-old youth in Thane district.

Arnav Khaire, a resident of Kalyan, allegedly hanged himself at his home after a group of commuters assaulted him on a local train following a quarrel. During the spat, Khaire, a Maharashtrian himself, was allegedly asked why he did not speak in Marathi.

Without naming any political party, Wagh, a member of the legislative council, said on Friday that some leaders have "sowed the poison of hatred about other languages" for their political gains.

"Arnav is the first victim of such poison-sowing. What was his fault? He used to travel by first class, but his pass had expired, so he took a second-class ticket. Just because he spoke a few Hindi words, he was badly thrashed. The politics of putting up one language against another has created this mess," she said.

"These so-called leaders send their children to English-medium schools, even abroad. Do these kids speak Marathi when they go to parties?" she asked.

No "sin" could be greater than inciting such hatred which led to the death of a Marathi teenager, Wagh said, adding, " A group of Marathi people killed a Marathi teen for speaking a few Hindi words. This language fanaticism should be stopped." PTI ND KRK