AIMIM leader Waris Pathan has called for the removal of Maharashtra Fisheries and Ports Development Minister Nitesh Rane following controversial remarks about madrasas.
The dispute highlights escalating linguistic and religious tensions in Maharashtra, where the intersection of regional identity and religious practice often triggers political volatility.
The conflict intensified after Rane suggested that Marathi should be taught in madrasas and the Azaan should be recited in Marathi [3]. Pathan responded by labeling the statements as an insult to freedom fighters [1].
Pathan demanded that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde remove Rane from his ministerial post as a result of these comments [1]. The AIMIM leader said the minister's rhetoric was an attack on the religious and educational institutions of the Muslim community [2].
This is not the first instance of friction between the two political figures. In December 2025, Rane responded to Pathan's comments regarding the Mumbai mayor post by saying, "I will personally give Waris Pathan a ticket to Pakistan" [2].
The tension underscores a recurring pattern of confrontational rhetoric between the state government's ministers and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leadership in Mumbai. While Rane's supporters often frame his positions as a promotion of regional language, critics view the mandates as an overreach into religious tradition [2, 3].
Pathan said, "His statement is an insult to freedom fighters" [1].
“"His statement is an insult to freedom fighters."”
This clash reflects the ongoing struggle between linguistic nativism and religious autonomy in Maharashtra. By advocating for the Marathi language in the Azaan and madrasas, Rane is aligning himself with a regionalist political identity that seeks to assert Marathi culture over all institutions. The demand for his removal by the AIMIM indicates that these remarks are viewed not as cultural promotion, but as targeted political provocation against the Muslim minority.
