In response to recent violence by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers against non-Marathi speakers, actress Madhura Naik has issued a strong statement emphasizing unity and peace. Naik, known for her television work, shared a heartfelt video on Instagram, addressing the issue and linking it to the core values of Hinduism.

Naik's message centered on the principle of "Vasudev Kutumbakam," which translates to "the whole world is one family". She underscored that within India, people of all linguistic backgrounds – Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil – are united. While acknowledging that language is a source of pride, she asserted that religion is a stronger binding force. "Religion unites us," she stated in her video message.

Drawing from her own experiences, Naik shared that she lived in Bahrain in the Middle East, and later in Dubai. Although Marathi is her mother tongue, she didn't learn it formally in school and her Marathi wasn't very good when she came to Mumbai. She recounted how the people of Maharashtra were helpful and supportive as she tried to improve her Marathi skills. She emphasized that she was never judged for her initial struggles with the language.

Naik expressed her pride in being a Hindu, stating that she openly identifies as such, even to an Israeli delegation. She contrasted this with the recent acts of violence, questioning how "Hindus can be enemies of Hindus" in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. She stressed the importance of respect and unity for all.

The actress passionately appealed for a shift in approach, advocating for teaching and speaking with love rather than resorting to violence. "Speak Marathi. Speak with pride. Speak 100%. But do not slap those who don't," she urged, emphasizing that violence is not an effective means of teaching. She declared that diversity in language is a strength, not a weakness.

Naik concluded her message with a call to action, encouraging viewers to share her video if they agreed with her message of unity. She also prompted them to leave comments to further strengthen the collective voice for Hindu unity and promote respect for all. She ended her message with "Jai Shivaji. Jai Bhawani. Jai Maharashtra and Jai Hind".

Naik's statement comes in the wake of MNS workers allegedly attacking the office of investor Sushil Kedia after his social media post about not learning Marathi and his "kya karna hai bol" dare to Raj Thackeray. Following the incident, five MNS supporters were detained and Kedia apologized for his remarks.