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Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Why the Maharashtra govt, Oppn are slugging it out over Hindi
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government's push for a three-language policy in primary school education has witnessed intense resistance from the Opposition, which has now escalated with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray preparing to hold a joint protest rally against the 'imposition of Hindi' in the state on July 5. Here is a look at the genesis of language politics, and its fall-out. Mumbai: Commuters pass by a newly put-up poster of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray that reads - "We are Hindus, but not Hindi", near Shiv Sena Bhavan, at Dadar, in Mumbai, Friday, April 18, 2025. The Maharashtra government has decided that Hindi as a third language would be mandatory for students in classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English-medium schools across the state, in a departure from the practice of studying two languages. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil) (PTI04_18_2025_000078B) (PTI) Politics and flip-flops over the Hindi mandate On April 16, the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government declared that Hindi would be made the mandatory third language from Classes 1 to 5 in government and private schools. The move was part of phased implementation of the union government's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 at the primary school level, from the 2025-26 academic year. Soon after it was announced, it triggered strong opposition from political, social and cultural groups; and such was the pressure that the decision was amended. On April 20, CM Fadnavis announced that Hindi would not after all be compulsory and students could opt for any other regional language. On June 17, a fresh order was issued which stated, 'Hindi will generally be the third language in Marathi- and English-medium schools from Classes 1 to 5.' However, it came with a rider: students would be allowed to opt for any other language apart from Marathi provided there are at least 20 students taking that language in the school and a separate teacher is appointed to teach the language. Why is it being opposed? Those opposing the move called it an indirect imposition of Hindi. They also argued that it may be a tall order for a school to get 20 students choosing to study a different language; and additionally, schools may not be able to provide separate teachers to teach different languages. The government's conditions are such that students would perforce be led to study Hindi, they felt. Uddhav Thackeray equated the decision with the Emergency, while Raj Thackeray urged schools against following the government order as he felt 'an imposition of Hindi was an anti-Maharashtra activity'. State Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal accused Fadnavis of 'stabbing in the heart of Maharashtra and Marathi language'. Fadnavis responded to the collective opposition saying, if English is being accepted, then why are other Indian languages being opposed. A case of Marathi pride Marathi language has always been a sensitive issue politically, as Maharashta was formed on linguistic lines. Both Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS derive their political legacy from the Shiv Sena founded by the late Bal Thackeray which was rooted in Marathi identity – since then, the emotive issue of Marathi pride has been the focus of both parties. Since he formed MNS in 2006, Raj made an anti-north India stance his unique selling point. Uddhav, on the other hand, has continued to use the 'Marathi manoos' plank to further his political agenda. Both parties performed poorly in the assembly election held last year. And now, ahead of the local body polls – especially that of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and other local bodies in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) – the idea of Marathi identity through a fight against the imposition of Hindi has given both a renewed energy to fire up Marathi pride in among people. The reason behind BJP's push despite opposition The BJP has been firm on its mandate. On Thursday, the party decided to take the Thackeray brothers head-on, arguing that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had ensured that Marathi be elevated as a classical language. Pushing Hindi in schools also will help the party garner north Indian votes en masse in MMR, said BJP insiders. North Indians are the second largest linguistic group in the region after Marathis. The way forward Following pushback from Opposition parties, on June 23, Fadnavis announced that the government would seek the views of language experts, litterateurs and political parties before arriving at a final decision, and asked school education minister Dada Bhuse to consult with concerned individuals and organisations. BJP ally Shiv Sena has so far been supporting the decision, while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has said it would prefer mandatory Hindi from Class 5. Meanwhile, NCP (SP) has decided to team up with Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS in their rally against 'Hindi imposition' on July 5, while Congress said it will take a decision soon. The language issue is likely to dominate the monsoon session of the state legislature, which begins in Mumbai on Monday.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
20 years after split, Uddhav & Raj join hands to oppose ‘Hindi imposition' in schools
Mumbai: Uddhav and will hold a joint protest march of their parties in the city on July 5 against what they allege is imposition of Hindi in the state's schools from Class 1 through the new three-language policy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This will be the first time they will come together on a political platform after Raj Thackeray's decision to quit Shiv Sena to form MNS nearly two decades ago. There has been speculation of a reunion of the estranged cousins for the coming civic polls, and the protest march is being seen as the first step in that direction, reports Chaitanya Marpakwar. Uddhav and Raj had on Thursday announced two separate marches, on July 6 and 7 respectively. But according to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, Raj dialled him Friday and said it would not be good to hold two marches for the Marathi language in this way and a joint movement could have a big impact. Raut said he then spoke to Uddhav, who agreed "without hesitation." Uddhav and Raj Thackeray's joint protest march against what they allege is imposition of Hindi in the state's schools will mostly be from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan. Both parties have said it will be non-political and no party flags will be displayed. MNS functionary Sandeep Deshpande and Sena (UBT) MLA Varun Sardesai also met on Friday at a restaurant in Dadar (W), further fuelling speculation that the parties would come together not just for the protest but for BMC polls too. Aaditya Thackeray also met Deshpande at an event on Friday, where they greeted each other; Deshpande has fought the 2024 assembly polls against Aaditya from Worli and lost. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Marathi language expert Deepak Pawar, who had called for a protest on July 7, said Marathi language activists will join the July 5 protest and continue protests on July 7 if govt doesn't roll back its three-language policy. The opposition and several groups have criticized the state govt, alleging it is trying to impose Hindi as the third language, though the govt has said Hindi is not mandatory. After issuing a GR on June 17 on the third-language policy, govt took two steps back this week, first by saying it would have wide-ranging consultations before finalizing the policy and second by saying the third language would be taught via the play-way method, only orally, in Class 1 and 2, with no textbooks for students and no tests or exams. Raut said Raj initially told him he had no idea about the UBT Sena's march. When he discussed Raj's message of having one march with , Raut said that "he said he too was not in favour of a separate march but as July 6 is Ashadhi Ekadashi, it would be difficult to reach the people. I conveyed this to Raj Thackeray. After talking to Uddhav Thackeray, we suggested July 5 as the date. Raj Thackeray agreed to it after talking to his colleagues… This march will be without any political agenda. Through it, govt will see the strength of Marathi people." Deshpande said, "Raj Thackeray took the initiative and called Sanjay Raut and the date of the march was decided. We are inviting all parties, including Marathi-loving office-bearers of BJP and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. It's a good thing the Thackerays are keeping aside political differences and coming together as Marathi manoos. They will decide if they will come together politically. For now, we are focusing on the march. The protest will change the political direction of Maharashtra. The protest is not Raj or Uddhav Thackeray's, it belongs to the Marathi manoos." Sardesai said there was dialogue between Sena (UBT) and MNS. "We are asking everyone to join the protest, so we met to plan the march," he said. MNS functionaries said they were reaching out to Congress, NCP and NCP (SP) netas along with other parties to invite them for the march. Meanwhile, reacting to education minister Dada Bhuse's comments that the third language would be taught via the play-way method, Aaditya Thackeray said on X, "The Education Minister should first go sit in a school and take such lessons! Forcing first-graders to learn three languages already, and that too without books, just oral practice. Are they running a govt or a comedy show? What are they saying, what are they deciding, just listen to yourselves for once. "
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Pawar Sr supports march but ‘against forcing Tendulkar'
Kolhapur: While the NCP (SP) has declared support to the July 5 protest march against the "imposition of Hindi," the party's chief on Friday said celebrities such as cricketer should not be insisted upon to express their views on making Hindi a must in the Maharashtra school curriculum. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Ask Sachin about cricket; don't force him to take a stand on Hindi imposition," he said. Pawar was responding to Raj Thackeray's statement on Thursday that he wanted to see who — especially Marathi artists and sportspersons — turn up and who do not for the protest march against the govt's policy. "I don't know what Raj Thackeray meant by that. Why should one insist that Sachin Tendulkar puts his views across (on the issue of Hindi impoistion)? Ask him about cricket; he is 'badshah', a big name in the world of cricket. I can understand if he is asked to share his views about some aspect of cricket. Don't ask such personalities about issues not related to them. The issue of imposition of Hindi is important for us. Someone seeking their views and saying 'will see who comes for the protest and who does not' is not good," Pawar said. On the march, NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil said, "We are against imposition of Hindi on primary school students. We have decided to participate in the protest march."
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sharad Pawar: Why insist that celebs have voice on Hindi imposition
Kolhapur: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said celebrities such as cricketer Sachin Tendulkar should not be insisted upon to express their views on making Hindi a must in Maharashtra school curriculum through National Education Policy 2020. "Ask Sachin about cricket; don't force him to take a stand on Hindi imposition," the veteran politician said in Kolhapur on Friday. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray announced a march in Mumbai on July 5 against Hindi as a compulsory language for students in state schools from Class 1. Although NCP (SP) has declared support to the July 5 Mumbai protest march, Raj Thackeray said he wanted to see who — especially Marathi artists and sportspersons — turn up and who do not for the march. "I don't know what Raj Thackeray meant by that. Why should one insist that Sachin Tendulkar puts his views across (on the issue of Hindi imposition)? I can understand if he is asked to share his views about cricket. Don't ask such personalities about issues not related to them. The issue of imposition of Hindi is important for us. Someone seeking their views and saying 'will see who comes for the protest and who does not' is not good," Pawar said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kamiq 130 Edition. Pensato con quello che desideri, di serie. Škoda Scopri di più Undo At the receiving end of criticism after issuing a govt resolution on a three-language policy from Std I last week, state govt in a partial rollback on Thursday said the third language would be taught orally, in Stds I and II, with no textbooks given to students and tests or exams. The NCP (SP) chief added, "Teach Hindi in state schools from Std V. Ignoring Hindi is also not good, as around 55% of people in the country speak the language."
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Thackeray cousins to jointly oppose mandatory Hindi in schools
Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are set to join forces to Oppose the 'imposition' of Hindi in primary schools under the three-language formula. Following parallel announcements earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the two parties - Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) - would now jointly hold a rally on July 5 in Mumbai. 'Thackeray is the brand!' Mr. Raut posted on social media, along with a photograph of the two leaders. This marks the first time the Thackeray cousins have united on a political issue since Raj Thackeray founded the MNS in 2006. Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar also expressed opposition to the three-language formula. 'It is incorrect to impose Hindi from Grade 1 to Grade 4. The government shouldn't force it. Today, 55% people speak Hindi in India. It can be a language of communication. Because there is no hatred towards Hindi in Maharashtra, it shouldn't be made mandatory,' he said while speaking to reporters in Kolhapur. Asked whether he would join the Thackerays' protest, Mr. Pawar said he would 'first understand the issue after returning to Mumbai.' Reunification of the Thackerays 'Two separate rallies on the same issue are not good. I discussed with both the leaders, and they decided to come together,' Mr. Raut said, emphasising that making Hindi compulsory would put an unnecessary burden on students. 'So, it is not just a linguistic but also an academic issue,' he added. According to Mr. Raut, Mr. Raj Thackeray had called him after announcing his rally and proposed a joint protest. Mr. Raj Thackeray had earlier announced a 'Virat Morcha' on July 6 from Girgaon Chowpatty, while Shiv Sena (UBT) had backed a rally at Azad Maidan on July 7. The scheduling of parallel rallies had led to public speculation over coordination between the parties. The protest is against the State government's April 16 decision to mandate Hindi as a third language in primary education and the amended Government Resolution (GR), which requires a minimum of 20 students to opt for any alternative Indian language. Reiterating the joint stance, Mr. Raut posted: 'There will be one united protest against compulsory Hindi in Maharashtra schools.' Mr. Raut also launched a sharp attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, calling him 'Maharashtra's political enemy' and accusing him of manipulating the Election Commission and the Supreme Court to engineer the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena.
