A Bihar politician's fluent Marathi conversation with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has won praise online, but the story behind the exchange is even more heartwarming. Sitamarhi MP Devesh Chandra Thakur stepped in to help a group of pilgrims from Maharashtra who had crossed into Bihar after being caught up in the aftermath of the devastating floods in Nepal.
The district administration arranged food, shelter and other assistance for the group before they were to be sent onwards to Nagpur.
MP speaks to Maharashtra CM in fluent Marathi
In a video that went viral on social media, Thakur, 73, can be seen speaking to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the phone in fluent Marathi. "Ho saheb! There's no problem. They're all with us, safe," Thakur told Fadnavis while discussing arrangements for the pilgrims.
He was also seen trying to arrange an additional coach on the Patna-Nanded Express so that the pilgrims could continue their journey safely towards Nagpur.106 Maharashtra pilgrims stranded after Nepal floods
The pilgrims had been returning from Nepal when the catastrophic flash floods struck near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26. The floods sent ice, rock, mud and water through the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system.
Days later, a group of 106 pilgrims from Maharashtra entered Bihar through Sitamarhi. The district administration hosted them, arranged food and shelter and provided medical care before making arrangements for their onward journey to Nagpur via Patna. Thakur played a key role in ensuring that the pilgrims were looked after and could continue their journey safely.
How does Devesh Chandra speak Marathi so fluently?
Thakur's Marathi-speaking video left many social media users surprised, while others admired the linguistic harmony on display. There was also an interesting context behind his fluency. As several social media users pointed out, Thakur had learnt Marathi because he had lived and studied in Maharashtra. That experience came in handy when he needed to communicate with the pilgrims and speak directly with Fadnavis.
Marathi call comes amid language row
Thakur's Marathi conversation with Fadnavis also comes at a time when the use of Marathi in Maharashtra has been at the centre of a wider language debate, particularly around migrants and the pressure to use the state's official language. Against this backdrop, the sight of a Bihar MP speaking fluent Marathi while helping Maharashtra pilgrims drew attention online, with many viewing the exchange as an example of how language can also bridge communities rather than divide them.
The catastrophic flash floods struck Nepal on August 26 near the Nepal-Tibet border, sending ice, rocks, mud and large volumes of water through the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system. In the days that followed, 106 pilgrims from Maharashtra, who were returning from Nepal, crossed into Bihar through Sitamarhi, where the district administration stepped in to provide them with food, shelter and medical care before making arrangements for their safe onward journey to Nagpur via Patna.
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Warning signs came days before deadly Nepal flash flood that killed over a thousand: Report
