Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi, whose taking oath in Hindi triggered protests from MNS, today described Marathi as his 'mother' and Hindi as 'grandmother'.
"Marathi is like mother to me, but Hindi is like grandmother. I am learning Marathi. (MNS chief) Raj Thackeray should not think that I am learning the language out of his fear," he said here.
The first-time MLA was attacked by MNS legislators inside Maharashtra Assembly last year for taking oath of office in Hindi instead of Marathi.
Talking to media persons here, he condemned the killing of advocate Shahid Azmi in Mumbai last week. Shahid, who was the counsel of Fahim Ansari, a co-accused in the 26/11 attacks, and also defence lawyer for the accused in July 2006 Mumbai train blasts, was fighting for justice, he said.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app