Latest news with #Three-LanguageFormula
NDTV
8 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Analysis - Hindi Row: D Fadnavis' Masterstroke Or Thackeray Brothers' Win?
The withdrawal of the government resolution regarding the teaching of Hindi in Maharashtra's primary schools is being viewed differently across the state's political spectrum. For over two weeks, political opposition to the resolution had been gathering momentum, with protests set to culminate in a march in South Mumbai. However, the Devendra Fadnavis government appears to have defanged the opposition by withdrawing the resolution a week before the planned march. For the uninitiated, the controversy erupted last month when the Maharashtra government issued a resolution to comply with the Three-Language Formula as per the Union government's new education policy. According to the resolution, students from classes one to four would have to study Hindi as the default third language if there were not enough students to study other languages. Raj Thackeray, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief, was the first to object, alleging that it was a subtle ploy to impose Hindi on Maharashtra. Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) also announced its opposition. Last week, both Raj and Uddhav Thackeray announced separate events to protest; however, they later decided to participate in a single protest march from Girgaon to Azad Maidan. On Sunday, Mr Fadnavis announced that the resolution had been withdrawn and a committee would be formed to devise a new formula. Many political pundits believe this is a masterstroke by Mr Fadnavis, as he has robbed the opposition of a key issue ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. Had the government not softened its stance, say critics, the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) could have capitalised on the issue significantly. However, Raj and Uddhav Thackeray portray the decision as their victory. Their supporters claim that the Fadnavis government's adamant approach could have alienated Marathi voters. There are also whispers in Maharashtra's political corridors that the entire protest was a "fixed match" between the BJP and the MNS. This suspicion arose because, before the MNS announced its protest, a closed-door meeting took place between Fadnavis and Raj Thackeray at Hotel Taj Lands End in Mumbai. Some suspect the resolution was deliberately issued to allow the MNS to revive its political relevance by protesting against it. A revived MNS could dent Shiv Sena (UBT)'s vote bank if a truce between the Thackeray cousins does not materialise.
The Hindu
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Kerala HC orders continuance of existing language policy in Lakshadweep till a study is conducted
A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court has ordered that the earlier language policy of studying Mahl and Arabic shall continue in schools in Lakshadweep as the court felt that the order on the three language formula has been issued by the Lakshadweep administration without conducting any study or consulting the stakeholders. The Bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji passed the order recently when a writ petition challenging the decision to exclude Arabic/Mahl as an optional language from the Three-Language Formula (TLF) implemented in schools on the islands. The petitioner contended that the decision was hastily taken by the Director of Education without consulting the stakeholders and conducting any proper study on its implications on the education system on the islands. The education system prevalent in the Union Territory for the past 70 years had the option of Arabic/Mahl as a third language. The court observed that the order is a mere office order, which is ordinarily issued for routine matters and not for purposes that would have a fundamental impact on local conditions. 'We are not guided by the impugned order as to how the decision was arrived at or what its implications would be, particularly since there is a change from the existing position prevailing for the last 70 years.' Observing that its earlier interim order deferring the implementation of the order on the three language policy will remain in force, the court said that it was open to the Union Territory to conduct a study on the local conditions in the context of the prevailing education policies and engage with all the stakeholders through a meaningful process of consultation. If such studies and consultations are carried out, it will be open to the administration to apply for appropriate orders, the court added.
