Mumbai, April 16 (IANS) Reality show contestant and winner, Shiv Thakare has opened up about the ongoing Marathi language row in Maharashtra. 

In an exclusive interaction with IANS, Shiv Thakare was asked to share his thoughts on the recent incidents in which MNS workers coerced people into speaking Marathi.

Thakare told IANS, "I personally feel that you cannot force someone to speak a language by hitting or scolding them. However, you should have an attitude to learn the language of the place where you live and earn your livelihood. Even if I go abroad, I will have to translate things into their language with the help of Google. So, one should have an attitude regarding these things."

Thakare is of the opinion that while the way of forcing people to speak Marathi is wrong, the intent is right. Stressing one should know Marathi if living in Mumbai, he added that if he goes to other states he tries to learn their languages, at least two lines.

Thakare added, "It is not correct to hit someone if they do not speak your language. I feel if I go to a place like Gujarat or Assam, I will make an effort to learn a few terms in their local language so that the local people feel nice."

Citing his own example, he shared, "I recently went to Bangkok, also I visited Cape Town for a shoot, I made an effort to learn their language. So I feel the method might be wrong, but one should try and learn Marathi if living in Mumbai", he concluded.

Recently, many incidents have come forth where people have been physically abused for not speaking in Marathi, leading to a massive language row in the economic capital of the country.