After the Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance announcement, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande’s “Batoge toh Peetoge” remark sparked a row, later clarified as a rebuttal to BJP–NDA slogan politics, not migrants.
Deshpande positioned the remark as a counter to “Batenge toh Katenge,” reflecting MNS’s aggressive street politics around Marathi identity while denying it targeted any community.
Escalation by migrant politics: The controversy deepened with provocative posters and statements by Uttar Bharatiya Sena chief Sunil Shukla, keeping migrant identity tensions alive ahead of the BMC polls.
Right after Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) announced their alliance for the Mumbai local body polls, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande’s “Batoge toh Peetoge” remark triggered a political row. Deshpande made the statement on December 24 during a media interview, soon after the alliance was announced. His comment however being presented as the attack on north Indians, there is a complex history to it.
Deshpande’s recent comment was a sharp counter to the BJP’s 2024 Lok Sabha campaign slogan, “Batenge toh Katenge,” which the NDA later reframed as “Ek hai toh safe hai” during the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2014. The remark has been widely interpreted as reflecting the MNS’s aggressive, street-centric style of politics. Deshpande and MNS’s politics on the linguistic narrative of ‘Marathi’ has often been criticised.
However Deshpande’s statement wasn’t an isolated one. It was a response to the question asked by the reporter of a Marathi news channel after the joint press conference of Thackerays. The reporter asked Deshpande - "what is the alliance’s strategy to beat the narrative of ‘Batenge to katenge’ used by the BJP and NDA and the posters it has already flashed in Mumbai?”
Deshpande responded to the question saying "Irrespective of anything, I want to give these people a message (BJP and alliances) Batoge toh peetoge, Nahi batoge to bhi peetoge. Those who will insult Marathi language and people will be given a tight slap on face irrespective of anything.”
In another interview with a Marathi news channel, Deshpande clarified that his statement ‘Batoge to peetoge’ was not against north Indian migrants in Mumbai, but it was against the BJP and NDA’s divisive politics, their narrative setting of divisive politics and unity of Marathi people.” He also criticised the posters and social media campaign of the BJP on ‘Katenge to Batenge’ lines.
Posters with messaging “Be aware north Indians, Batoge to Peetoge” have been flashed in Mumbai carrying the name of Uttar Bharatiya Sena and its leader Sunil Shulka’s photo on it. These posters were flashed outside ‘Matoshri’ the residence of Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray since November 2025.
Sunil Shukla is a Mumbai-based political leader and the founder-president of the Uttar Bharatiya Sena (UBS), a party that claims to represent the interests of North Indian migrants living in Maharashtra. Known for his aggressive street-level politics, Shukla has frequently positioned himself against the Marathi-centric narratives of parties like the MNS and Shiv Sena. Shulkla has often made controversial statements such as “whoever comes to attack me, be it man or woman, local or non local - they will be beaten. I am ready to go to jail, I will come out on bail and beat whoever comes again to attack me.”
Shukla is playing hard lined Hindutva politics in Mumbai, currently taking interest in BMC elections. He has often played ‘Hindu-muslim’ divisive cards while advocating for safety and rights of north indians in Mumbai.
He has led protests on issues related to migrant rights, employment, and alleged discrimination against North Indians in Mumbai.
Shukla often uses provocative rhetoric and symbolic actions to draw attention, keeping the migrant politics discourse alive in Maharashtra’s urban political space.
Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have announced their alliance for Mumbai (BMC) elections in early next year - January 2026. The alliance is eying on 38 to 40 % Marathi votes and appealed Marathi People to unite for saving Mumbai.
