logo
‘Not our stand in Maharashtra. We speak Hindi': Uddhav Sena distances itself from Stalin's language remark

‘Not our stand in Maharashtra. We speak Hindi': Uddhav Sena distances itself from Stalin's language remark

Indian Express2 days ago
Amid rising rhetoric over language imposition, Shiv Sena (UBT) has drawn a clear line between Maharashtra's pushback on Hindi and the more hardline opposition seen in Tamil Nadu, distancing itself from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's strong remarks following the Thackeray cousins' 'victory rally' in Mumbai.
Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut made it clear that while the party opposes the Centre's efforts to mandate Hindi in
primary education, it does not support a complete rejection of the language.
'The Southern states have been fighting for this issue for years. Their stand against the imposition of Hindi means they will not speak Hindi and neither let anyone speak Hindi. But that is not our stand in Maharashtra. We speak Hindi… Our stand is that the strictness for Hindi in primary schools will not be tolerated,' Raut told reporters on Sunday.
#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, "The Southern states have been fighting for this issue for years. Their stand against the imposition of Hindi means they will not speak Hindi and neither let anyone speak Hindi. But that is not our stand in… pic.twitter.com/w5tD80bRYP
— ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2025
DMK chief Stalin, who has been at loggerheads with the Centre over the language row, on Saturday said the rally held under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray against Hindi imposition fills them with 'immense excitement' and noted that the struggle has 'transcended state boundaries'.
But the Sena (UBT) isn't buying the comparison. 'MK Stalin has congratulated us on this win of ours and said that he will learn from this. We wish him the best. But we haven't stopped anyone from speaking in Hindi because we have Hindi movies, Hindi theatre, and Hindi music here… Our fight is only against the imposition of Hindi in primary education… Yes, the two brothers have come together for politics, but what have they come together for?' Sanjay Raut asked.
The rally in question, dubbed a 'victory rally', was held after two contentious Government Resolutions (GRs) were scrapped in Maharashtra. One GR made Hindi compulsory in Classes 1 to 5, while the other had made it optional. Both the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS had slammed the move as an act of language imposition. Addressing the crowd, MNS chief Raj Thackeray accused the BJP of weaponising the three-language formula, calling it a 'political tool' rather than an educational reform.
What Stalin said
Hours after the Thackeray cousins' reunion, Stalin said, 'The language rights struggle, waged generation after generation by the DMK and the people of Tamil Nadu to defeat Hindi imposition, has now transcended state boundaries and is swirling like a storm of protest in Maharashtra.'
'The enthusiasm and powerful oratory of the victory rally held today in Mumbai under the leadership of brother Uddhav Thackeray against Hindi imposition fills us with immense excitement,' Stalin added.
Slamming the BJP, Stalin accused the party of working 'lawlessly and anarchically'. 'The BJP, which acts lawlessly and anarchically by stating that funds will be allocated only if Hindi is taught as a third language in Tamil Nadu schools, has been forced to back down for the second time in Maharashtra, where they govern, due to fear of the people's uprising,' he said.
Stalin also invoked Raj Thackeray's questions to the Centre: 'What is the third language taught in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan?' and 'Why are you imposing Hindi on the people of progressive non-Hindi-speaking states when Hindi-speaking states are lagging behind?'
The DMK chief once again reiterated his resistance to the NEP's language policy and accused the BJP of linking the release of Rs 2,152 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan to Tamil Nadu's acceptance of Hindi and Sanskrit through the backdoor.
He framed the opposition as a cultural safeguard rather than a political battle: 'The stance of the people of the state is for protection of India's pluralistic culture, not one that is driven by hatred.'
In a final warning to the BJP, Stalin declared: 'The BJP must atone for the betrayal it has committed against Tamil and Tamil Nadu. If not, Tamil Nadu will once again teach the BJP and its new allies a lesson they will never forget.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

MNS leader's son quizzed for 6 hours, says he consumed alcohol before joyride
MNS leader's son quizzed for 6 hours, says he consumed alcohol before joyride

India Today

time36 minutes ago

  • India Today

MNS leader's son quizzed for 6 hours, says he consumed alcohol before joyride

The son of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Javed Shaikh, Rahil, who got into a tiff with Mumbai-based influencer Rajshree More after hitting her car in a drunken state, has admitted to drinking heavily at a friend's house on Sunday before his mother called and asked him to come home, Mumbai Police sources told India Today a drunken state, he hit Rajshree's car in Mumbai's Lokhandwala and then misbehaved with her. Rahil, a resident of Thane, was questioned for six hours, during which his father was present, the sources filed a complaint with the Amboli police and demanded strict action against Rahil. She said that she felt threatened during the incident. A close friend of Rakhi Sawant, Rajshree, made headlinesfew weeks back after she posted a video on social media where she made contentious comments about the local Maharashtrian the video, she questioned the efforts to enforce the Marathi language on the state's residents and argued that local Marathi people should instead be motivated to work also warned that Mumbai's local Marathi community's condition could worsen if migrants left the SENA LEADER CONDEMNS INCIDENTAfter the matter came to light, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) leader Sanjay Nirupam condemned the incident and slammed Rahil for his indecent behaviour with a woman."MNS leader Javed Shaikh's son has misbehaved with a woman. He rammed his car into hers and was drunk. What kind of Muslim is he who consumes alcohol? When the woman resisted, he abused her and flaunted his father's position," Nirupam said in a video message on added that the MNS is resorting to hooliganism in the name of Marathi. "They don't care about Marathi language or it's cultural pride. If they did, they wouldn't have misbehaved with Rajshri More".Nirpuam also questioned as to why only Hindus are attacked by MNS workers. He dared them to try and attack Urdu-speaking people in the name of Sena leader claimed that the MNS is running a campaign against Hindus at the behest of its Muslim leaders like Javed requested the state government to take MNS "goons" to task and ensure the safety and security of the people belonging to all sections of society in the state.- Ends

‘Mumbai was capital of Gujarat': Shiv Sena MP Pratap Jadhav's remark sparks row; UBT fumes, says he betrayed party for 'panaas khoke'
‘Mumbai was capital of Gujarat': Shiv Sena MP Pratap Jadhav's remark sparks row; UBT fumes, says he betrayed party for 'panaas khoke'

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

‘Mumbai was capital of Gujarat': Shiv Sena MP Pratap Jadhav's remark sparks row; UBT fumes, says he betrayed party for 'panaas khoke'

MUMBAI: Days after Dy CM Eknath Shinde came under opposition attack for his 'Jai Gujarat' slogan at an event, Shiv Sena MP Pratap Jadhav faced flak for calling Mumbai the former capital of the neighbouring state. Speaking to reporters in Dharashiv district on Sunday, Jadhav, Union minister of state for health, told reporters, "There is no need to indulge in politics over such issues. Gujarat is our neighbouring state. It is not in Pakistan." During the Samyukta Maharashtra (movement), Mumbai was also the capital of Gujarat, Jadhav said. Shiv Sena (UBT) RS MP Priyanka Chaturvedi objected to Jadhav's remarks. "This man is MoS in the Centre. This man is also someone who betrayed his own party leadership for panaas khoke (50 boxes). You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai This man is also part of the Jai Gujarat party from Maharashtra. No wonder this man has started hallucinating and making up history to please his masters," she posted on X on Monday. Aaditya Thackeray said Jadhav's remarks show hatred for Maharashtra.

Mahayuti, BJP disown Jharkhand MP remarks on Marathi manoos
Mahayuti, BJP disown Jharkhand MP remarks on Marathi manoos

Hindustan Times

timean hour ago

  • Hindustan Times

Mahayuti, BJP disown Jharkhand MP remarks on Marathi manoos

Mumbai: After Jharkhand BJP MP Nishikant Dubey stirred a fresh political row on Monday, saying people in Maharashtra were surviving on their money and those targeting non-Marathi speakers in the state would be thrashed badly again and again, the BJP in Maharashtra and the ruling Mahayuti alliance distanced themselves from the remarks. Ashish Shelar (Hindustan Times) Cultural affairs minister and Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said that nobody should question the contribution and achievements of the Marathi manoos in the country. While replying to the long duration debate in the assembly, Shelar said he did not want to name the Jharkhand MP as he had not given notice, although he wanted to clear the stand of the state government, the Mahayuti and the BJP. 'The MP should not raise questions over the performance of the Marathi manoos. The contribution of Maharashtra in the national GDP is highest in the country,' Shelar said. The first film in India was produced by a Marathi person and the first army in Indian history was established by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, he said. 'We should not be questioned about our contribution….Nobody should say that Maharashtra is surviving on their money,' Shelar said in the assembly. His party and the state government would safeguard Marathi pride and ensure that non-Marathi people living in the state were not disrespected. Mashelkar committee report to be tabled Shiv Sena leader and Marathi language minister Uday Samant on Monday said the government would table the Mashelkar committee report on implementation of the three-language formula under the National Education Policy, 2020. Samant, while speaking in the legislative assembly, reiterated that the government had tried to make Hindi compulsory, but introduce it as a third language in schools. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Uddhav Thackeray had accepted Masheklar committee's report, which has a paragraph recommending Hindi be made mandatory alongside Marathi and English from class 1 to 12, on February 22, 2022, Samant said. 'The then CM had clearly tweeted on his social media account that the report would be implemented,' he said. The Mashelkar committee report would be tabled in the house and copies of the report would be made available to all MLAs, he added.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store