Mumbai: Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane has come under fire from the Opposition for his controversial remarks suggesting the use of Marathi instead of Urdu in madrasas and for the azaan (Islamic call to prayer). Opposition leaders have accused him of stoking communal tensions for political gain.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Rane responded to reports of Congress launching Marathi-medium schools in Mumbai by claiming that the Opposition should instead urge Muslims to use Marathi in madrasas and for the azaan. He controversially added, “otherwise, all you get from there is a gun,” implying a link between madrasas and violence, a statement widely condemned across party lines.
Critics pointed out that the azaan is traditionally recited in Arabic, not Urdu, making his remarks factually inaccurate and communally charged.
Reacting strongly, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) leader Shashikant Shinde said such matters should be raised in the Cabinet, not through inflammatory public comments. “There is no need to create unnecessary tension. If he wants Marathi to be taught in madrasas, who is stopping him?” he said, adding that language and religion should not be conflated for political mileage, The Indian Express reported.
Congress MLA Amin Patel also pushed back, stating that many madrasas already use Marathi, along with Hindi and English, The Hindu reported. He noted that language and religion are two separate things. “Is Mr. Rane himself attending any Marathi classes?” Patel asked.
According to The Hindu reports Rohit Pawar of the NCP (SP) also echoed concerns, calling Rane’s statements a continuation of the "Hindu-Muslim card" employed during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He said the remarks are part of a pattern to polarize voters ahead of local elections.
AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) chief Asaduddin Owaisi accused Rane of hypocrisy, pointing out that Rane had previously extended greetings to Muslim religious gatherings like the Tablighi Jamaat’s Ijtema. “And now he wants the azaan in Marathi?” Owaisi questioned.
The Maharashtra Minority Commission also weighed in, with chairperson Pyare Khan stating that Rane has a history of inflammatory comments. Khan criticized the minister for misusing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' name and accused him of targeting Indian Muslims under the guise of nationalism.
In June, Rane had courted controversy by questioning why environmentalists and animal rights activists didn’t call for a “virtual” celebration of Bakri Eid, accusing them of selectively targeting Hindu festivals like Holi and Diwali. At the time, Maharashtra Minority Commission chairperson Pyare Khan criticised Rane for making statements while invoking Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ name, calling it “inappropriate”. He accused the minister of creating divisions and singling out Indian Muslims under the pretext of Pakistan.
In April, he had allegedly urged Hindus to check the religion of shopkeepers before making purchases, a remark that drew widespread condemnation.