On July 5, 2025, Mumbai-based stock market analyst Sushil Kedia challenged MNS chief Raj Thackeray on X, taunting him about living in Mumbai for 30 years without becoming fluent in Marathi. Kedia declared that threats from party activists wouldn’t “make me a fluent Marathi speaker” 

The MNS responded swiftly on its official X handle, quoting General Secretary Manoj Chavan: “If you live in Maharashtra and act superior by not speaking Marathi, I’ll give you a tight slap!” . City president Sandeep Deshpande added that anyone insulting Marathi “will get a slap,” and urged Kedia to “stay in your lane” 

In a follow‑up post, Kedia reported receiving calls from multiple police stations offering protection—but suspected it to be a “dirty operation … baying for my blood” . Meanwhile, BJP MLA Narendra Mehta condemned the aggressive tone, saying pride in Marathi should never “forget the limits of humanity” 

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