'Don't divide the nation...': 26/11 hero slams language politics in Maharashtra, questions Raj Thackeray

As the debate over language politics flares up in Maharashtra, marine commando and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack survivor Praveen Teotia has waded into the storm, using social media to slam what he calls linguistic chauvinism.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Teotia condemned efforts to fracture the nation along linguistic lines, invoking his role during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks to drive home his point.

“I saved Mumbai on 26/11. I bleed for Maharashtra. I’m from UP. I saved the Taj Hotel. Where were Raj Thakre’s so-called warriors?” wrote Teotia, who hails from Uttar Pradesh but risked his life defending Mumbai during the siege. “Don’t divide the Nation. Smiles don’t require any Language,” he added, echoing the concerns of many who fear growing regional divides.

Teotia, who was gravely injured while rescuing hostages at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, spoke out as Maharashtra grapples with tensions over the prominence of Hindi and Marathi in education and social policy.

The controversy has brought Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray together on the same side for the first time in nearly two decades. The two recently celebrated the state government’s rollback of a proposed Hindi language mandate with a “Victory Rally.”

In his social media post, Teotia shared a photo of himself in commando gear, gripping a rifle, his bulletproof jacket emblazoned with “UP,” highlighting his roots in Uttar Pradesh. Addressing Raj Thackeray directly, he posed pointed questions and underscored his message: “Laughter has no language.”

Meanwhile, amid escalating Marathi language controversy in Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that hooliganism in the name of language will not be tolerated in the state. “Having pride in the Marathi language is not wrong, but if someone engages in hooliganism in the name of language, we will not tolerate it,” Fadnavis said while interacting with the media. "If anyone resorts to violence based on language, it will not be tolerated."