Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nitesh Rane has come under fire for making inflammatory and communal remarks suggesting that Urdu should be replaced with Marathi in madrasas and that the Islamic call to prayer (Azaan) be delivered in Marathi. His controversial statement has drawn sharp condemnation from opposition parties, Muslim leaders, and civil society activists, who accuse him of inciting hatred and stoking communal tensions ahead of upcoming elections, reported the Indian Express.
Speaking in response to reports of the Congress party opening Marathi-medium schools in Mumbai, Rane questioned the need for such institutions and provocatively stated, “The Opposition should ask Muslims to give the Azaan in Marathi. Instead of Urdu, teach Marathi in madrasas. Otherwise, all you get from there is a gun.”
These remarks—implying that madrasas produce violence instead of education—have been widely slammed as deeply Islamophobic and defamatory. Critics argue that such rhetoric reinforces dangerous stereotypes about the Muslim community and is part of a broader political strategy to polarize voters along religious lines.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Waris Pathan condemned the minister’s comments, accusing him and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using religion and language as tools to incite hatred and create unrest for electoral gain.
“It is the responsibility of the Chief Minister to take action against such individuals,” Pathan added.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also criticized Rane, highlighting the hypocrisy in his stance. “Just a while ago, he had tweeted welcoming the Tablighi Jamaat’s Ijtema. Now he spreads venom against madrasas and Azaan. This double-faced politics needs to be called out.”
Nationalist Congress Party–Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) leader Rohit Pawar called Rane a puppet of senior BJP leaders. “He says only what he is told to say. If he really believes madrasas are centres of violence, then as Home Minister, he should investigate them instead of throwing around wild accusations,” said Pawar.
NCP leader Idris Naikwadi pointed out that no one has objected to introducing Marathi in madrasas, but stressed that every religious community has its linguistic heritage. “For most Muslims, Urdu is their mother tongue. Rane is deliberately misrepresenting minorities to score political points,” Naikwadi said.
Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra President Abu Asim Azmi strongly denounced the remarks as “low and disgraceful,” asserting that the Quran is already being taught in Marathi in several madrasas across the state. “Those who talk about guns in madrasas should first study their own violent history. They are the true worshippers of hate,” he added.
Senior NCP (SP) leader Shashikant Shinde emphasized that if Rane had genuine concerns about language education, he should raise the issue within the state Cabinet. “Making such public statements only creates unnecessary tension.”
Rane is no stranger to communal controversy. In September 2024, he was booked in three separate FIRs for making provocative speeches in Ahmednagar, where he allegedly threatened Muslims, including calls to “enter mosques and beat up those inside.” In December, he branded Kerala a “mini-Pakistan” and linked the Gandhis to “anti-nationals.” In January 2025, Rane demanded a ban on burqas in examination halls, citing security concerns.
Observers believe Rane’s recent remarks are part of a calculated effort to consolidate the Hindu vote ahead of the elections by painting Muslims as outsiders and threats to national security.
