By News18
A fresh political row erupted in Maharashtra after Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ended his speech with 鈥楯ai Gujarat鈥 during an inauguration event in Pune.
While speaking at the inauguration of Jairaj Sports and Convention Centre in Pune鈥檚 Kondhwa, Shinde thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah and ended his speech by saying, 鈥淛ai Hind, Jai Maharashtra, Jai Gujarat.鈥
As he wrapped up his speech, Shinde asked the audience for permission to recite a shayari in honour of Shah, receiving an enthusiastic response from the crowd. Shinde thanked the audience and said, 鈥淛ai Hind, Jai Maharashtra,鈥 before briefly pausing and adding, 鈥淛ai Gujarat鈥.
VIDEO | Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (@mieknathshinde ) ends his speech with 鈥淛ai Gujarat鈥 in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the inauguration of Jairaj Sports and Convention Centre. Shinde also thanked Amit Shah and the audience,鈥 pic.twitter.com/nSAURabuYp
鈥 Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 4, 2025
Sharing a video of Shinde鈥檚 video, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, 鈥淪hah Sena! Shah Sena!鈥 He said in another post, 鈥淭he true nature of Amit Shah鈥檚 duplicate Shiv Sena came to light today! In Pune, these gentlemen roared 鈥淛ai Gujarat鈥 in front of Amit Shah! What should be done? Such a man should be punished鈥 how can this person remain in the Maharashtra Cabinet?鈥
啶呧ぎ啶苦い 啶多す啶 啶ぞ啶傕啷嵿く啶 啶∴啶啶侧た啶曕啶 啶多た啶掂じ啷囙え啷囙啷 啶栢ぐ啷 啶班啶 啶嗋 啶ぞ啶灌啶 啶嗋げ啷!
啶啶｀啶ぞ啶 啶ぞ 啶す啶距ざ啶ぞ啶傕え啷 啶呧ぎ啶苦い 啶多す啶 啶膏ぎ啷嬥ぐ 鈥溹啶 啶椸啶溹ぐ啶距い 鈥 啶氞 啶椸ぐ啷嵿啶ㄠぞ 啶曕啶侧!
啶曕ぞ啶 啶曕ぐ啶距く啶氞?
啶愢ざ啶 啶ㄠぐ啶 啶啶溹啶ㄠ 啶ぞ啶班ぞ啶掂啶ぞ 啶啶溹ぞ啶班ぞ
啶灌啶距ぐ 啶ぞ啶班ぞ啶掂啶ぞ 啶嗋ぃ啶 啶忇 啶啶溹ぞ啶掂啶ぞ
啶灌ぞ 啶ぞ啶｀啶 啶す啶距ぐ啶距し啷嵿啷嵿ぐ啶距啷嵿く啶 啶啶む啶班た啶啶∴こ啶距い 啶曕じ啶 啶班ぞ啶灌 啶多啶む?
鈦Dev_Fadnavis鈦 pic.twitter.com/gHhMo8cpA2
鈥 Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) July 4, 2025
Additionally, NCP (Sharadchandra faction) leader Clyde Crasto targeted Shinde over his remarks, accusing him of using the phrase in 鈥済reed for power鈥 and political ambition.
嗒溹 嗒多珝嗒班珋 嗒曕珒嗒粪珝嗒 @mieknathshinde 嗒溹珋,
啶膏い啷嵿い啷囙啷嵿く啶 啶灌さ啷嵿く啶距じ啶 啶啶熰, 啶溹く 啶椸啶溹ぐ啶距い???馃#EknathShinde
鈥 Clyde Crasto 鈥 啶曕啶侧ぞ啶堗ぁ 啶曕啶班ぞ啶膏啶熰 ?? (@Clyde_Crasto) July 4, 2025
Congress leader Nana Patole condemned Shinde鈥檚 slogan. 鈥淲e condemn this, it鈥檚 an insult to the motherland of Maharashtra and the Marathi language,鈥 he told reporters.
Shinde Sena Hits Back
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) hit back at the remarks made by the opposition parties, uploading an old video of Uddhav Thackeray using the 鈥楯ai Gujarat鈥 phrase during a speech in Ahmedabad on March 30, 2019. 鈥淓ither they are fools, or opportunists!鈥 the party said.
啶忇 啶むぐ 啶灌 啶啶傕う啷 啶嗋す啷囙い, 啶ㄠぞ啶灌 啶むぐ 啶膏啶о啶膏ぞ啶о! pic.twitter.com/mXEtLx25xK
鈥 Shivsena 鈥 啶多た啶掂じ啷囙え啶 (@Shivsenaofc) July 4, 2025
However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended Shinde鈥檚 remarks, saying, 鈥淚 want to remind everyone that earlier too, when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj鈥檚 statue was unveiled at Chikodi, Sharad Pawar had said 鈥楯ai Maharashtra, Jai Karnataka.鈥 Does that mean Sharad Pawar loves Karnataka more and Maharashtra less?鈥
Mumbai, Maharashtra: On Deputy CM Eknath Shinde ending his speech with 鈥淛ai Hind, Jai Maharashtra, and Jai Gujarat,鈥 CM Devendra Fadnavis says, 鈥淚 want to remind everyone that earlier too, when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj鈥檚 statue was unveiled at Chikodi, Sharad Pawar had said鈥 pic.twitter.com/f4kSI9Dq5e
鈥 IANS (@ians_india) July 4, 2025
鈥淣ow, when 鈥楯ai Maharashtra, Jai Gujarat鈥 was said among the Gujarati community, I think there is no need to create so much ruckus over it. We are all Indians鈥 If someone is questioning Shinde ji鈥檚 love for Maharashtra because of this, then the person is thinking very narrowly,鈥 he added.
Earlier, Shah had arrived in Pune for a two-day visit to Maharashtra. He was welcomed at the Pune airport by Fadnavis, along with senior BJP leaders and party workers. He described the Jairaj Sports and Convention Centre as the 鈥渕ost beautiful building representing Gujarati society in the entire country鈥 and praised Pune as a symbol of knowledge, nationalism, social awareness, and freedom throughout the country.