A retired top commando who battled terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks has come down heavily on the Thackeray cousins in the wake of Maharashtra’s current Marathi language controversy. Shaurya Chakra awardee Praveen Kumar Teotia, who wrote 26/11 Braveheart: My Encounter with Terrorists That Night, blamed Raj and Uddhav Thackeray for being nowhere to be seen when Mumbai witnessed its worst terror attack in 2008.
“I saved Mumbai on 26/11. I bleed for Maharashtra. I’m from UP. I saved the Taj Hotel. Where were Raj Thackeray’s so-called warriors? Don’t divide the nation. Smiles don’t require any language,” said Mr. Teotia in a public statement.
26/11 Real Heroes Came From UP and Bihar, Says Teotia
In a conversation with ANI, Teotia reiterated his attack, saying that it was not the Thackerays but Uttar Pradesh and Bihar military personnel who fought on the frontlines during the 2008 assaults.
“He (Raj Thackeray) himself, along with Uddhav Thackeray and his family, could also not be found. People who saved others, such as army personnel, were primarily from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. I was there, (I) handled the situation, and faced the terrorists. I am also from UP and come from the village of (former prime minister) Chaudhary Charan Singh,” he told reporters.
Calls for Unity, Not Language Politics
Teotia made it clear that he has great regard for Marathi and Maratha soldiers, but criticized using language as a political tool. “I am proud of Marathi and Maratha warriors. Don’t let such losers separate us from each other. Language should not be part of politics,” he said. He asked the leaders to work on actual issues such as unemployment, development, education, health, and terrorism.
The Thackerays have not yet responded. The furore is over a since-withdrawn Maharashtra school three-language policy, which critics accused of being an imposition of Hindi. Raj Thackeray, who has been known to take a radical position, is criticized for perceived assaults by his followers on non-Marathi speakers. Uddhav Thackeray supported his cousin, saying it’s preferable to be a “goon” while fighting for Marathi pride.