MUMBAI: BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Ahmednagar, Sujay Vikhe Patil, stoked a controversy by bragging about his fluency in Hindu and English, and making fun of opposition candidate Nilesh Lanke.
“One should know Hindi and English to raise constituency issues in parliament. The Opposition’s candidate is not fluent either of them, so how he will raise the constituency issues in Delhi,” Patil, the incumbent MP, said during a campaign programme.
“I challenge my opponent to speak in Hindi and English. I am ready to give him a month,” he said. NCP (SP) candidate Lanke said Patil’s statement shows his feudal mentality and arrogance. “I am proud of my mother tongue Marathi. Speaking in English in parliament is not important, but raising our people’s issues is important,” he said. “When Nana Patil was Lok Sabha member from Beed, he used to speak in Marathi in parliament and no one stopped him, and he efficiently worked for his constituency as well,” Lanke said.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said, “There are many MPs who speak fluent Hindi and English, but they have not opened their mouth in parliament. Then, what is the use?”
Arrogance
NCP (SP) candidate Nilesh Lanke said Patil’s statement shows his feudal mentality and arrogance. “Raising issues is important in Parliament,” he said