India, July 7 -- Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Ashish Shelar on Sunday sparked a political storm by comparing the recent attacks on Hindi-speaking people in Mumbai with the Pahalgam terror incident, taking a veiled swipe at the newly reunited Thackeray cousins.

Shelar's comments came as outrage grew over Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists thrashing a sweet shop owner in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region for refusing to speak Marathi. The controversy escalated further after MNS workers vandalized the office of investor Sushil Kedia in Worli, following his public refusal to speak Marathi and challenge to Raj Thackeray.

"As terrorists in Pahalgam asked people their religion before shooting, here people are attacked over the lang...