BJP National Secretary Pankaja Munde recently ignited the Marathi-Gujarati conflict by sharing her struggle to find a house in Mumbai after vacating her government residence. She cited an instance on social media where a Marathi woman was allegedly denied housing in the city. Munde revealed her own experience, asserting that she faced similar discrimination during her search for a new home. She claimed that she, too, encountered difficulties securing housing because of her Marathi background. In a video posted on Instagram, Munde expressed empathy for the Marathi woman’s plight and said, “Seeing that woman crying, I felt very pained because I too had the same experience when I left my government house. Then I searched for a house at many places, but I was not given a house. It was said that we do not give houses to Marathi people.”
Munde emphasized the cultural diversity of a city like Mumbai, stating, “People of all languages live in a city like Mumbai. This is the beauty of Mumbai, but it is very sad for someone not to get a house. Why is permission required to give houses to people from other states and castes in any state of the country? My aim is not for any particular person, but my hope is that all of society should be united.” The longstanding Marathi-Gujarati dispute in Maharashtra has deep historical roots. Former Governor BS Koshyari’s comments, insinuating that Maharashtra would have no funds left if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis were removed from the state, had previously reignited tensions, drawing strong criticism from political parties.