Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi, whose taking oath in Hindi triggered protests from MNS, today described Marathi as his 'mother' and Hindi as 'grandmother'.
"Marathi is like mother to me, but Hindi is like grandmother. I am learning Marathi. (MNS chief) Raj Thackeray should not think that I am learning the language out of his fear," he said here.
The first-time MLA was attacked by MNS legislators inside Maharashtra Assembly last year for taking oath of office in Hindi instead of Marathi.
Talking to media persons here, he condemned the killing of advocate Shahid Azmi in Mumbai last week. Shahid, who was the counsel of Fahim Ansari, a co-accused in the 26/11 attacks, and also defence lawyer for the accused in July 2006 Mumbai train blasts, was fighting for justice, he said.