Fadnavis Defends Assembly Remarks On Mumbai Pune Expressway Project

On Friday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended his use of strong language in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in Mumbai, hitting back at critics who claimed the Rs 7,000 crore Mumbai-Pune Expressway "Missing Link" project had been ruined by heavy rains and landslides.

Fadnavis withdrew his controversial "bhade ke tattu" (hired hacks) remark but replaced it with terms like "bhatka gardabh" (wandering donkeys) and "suparibaaz" (contracted hatchet men) to target those he accused of spreading false rumors about the state's flagship infrastructure project.

The controversy began on July 8 when Fadnavis criticized social media posts alleging major damage to the expressway's "Missing Link" project. He stated in the House that spreading false reports of the Rs 7,000 crore project going "down the drain" was an insult to Maharashtra.

During his speech on Friday, Fadnavis addressed the backlash over his earlier language. He mockingly suggested that since some people wanted him to use more "cultured" language, he would replace the Hindi phrase "bhade ke tattu" with "bhatka gardabh" or "suparibaaz." He questioned why so many people had taken offense to remarks meant only for hired critics.

The Chief Minister's comments drew strong reactions from opposition leaders. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray accused Fadnavis of issuing open threats to anyone who dared to question the government.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had criticized Fadnavis for using Hindi in the state Assembly and argued the government should have ordered an inquiry into the expressway's condition instead of making threats.

Fadnavis dismissed Raj Thackeray's criticism, calling him a "friend" from whom the ruling Mahayuti alliance faced no political threat. He jokingly referred to the MNS chief as a "mimicry artist" who would have put stand-up comedians out of business had he pursued that field.