Mumbai: What started as a light moment between actor Sanjay Dutt and Maharashtra minister Pratap Sarnaik has now turned into a political controversy over Marathi.
At a Dahi Handi event in Maharashtra, Sarnaik asked Dutt to speak in Marathi. Dutt responded by joking that even after spending six years in Yerwada jail, he had not learnt the language. The remark drew laughter, with Sarnaik also seen laughing at the exchange.
The video soon began circulating on social media, bringing the minister’s reaction under scrutiny.
The controversy comes at a time when Sarnaik has been strongly backing the Maharashtra government’s push for auto rickshaw and taxi drivers to know Marathi. The Transport Department has been checking drivers spoken Marathi, and hundreds have reportedly received notices after failing to demonstrate basic knowledge of the language.
That has led to questions over whether the same standard is being applied consistently.
BJP MLA Narendra Mehta was among those who criticised Sarnaik. He questioned why the minister laughed when Dutt said he could not speak Marathi, while ordinary auto and taxi drivers were being asked to meet language requirements.
The issue has also been picked up by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who questioned Sarnaik’s response and alleged that the minister was showing a double standard.
Sarnaik’s position on Marathi has gained attention in recent months as the state government has pushed language requirements for commercial drivers. However, the government has also softened the approach by giving drivers a one year period to learn Marathi. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said drivers would be provided classes and learning material during this period and would not face action while they were learning.
Against this backdrop, Dutt’s joke has taken on a significance far beyond the event itself.
There is no indication that Dutt intended the remark as a political statement. It appeared to be a joke made during a public interaction. But with Marathi language requirements already a politically sensitive issue in Maharashtra, the clip has quickly become ammunition for Sarnaik’s critics.
For now, the actor’s few seconds on stage have opened up a much bigger question if Marathi is being made an important requirement for ordinary drivers, should public figures be held to the same standard?
That question is now at the centre of the controversy surrounding Sarnaik and Dutt.