“Language Emergency”: Uddhav, Raj Thackeray Condemn Hindi ‘Imposition’ in Maharashtra; Pawar Backs Their Stance

“Language Emergency”: India is a union of states formed on a linguistic basis, so imposing a language in a state would not be tolerated. Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Thursday said they will oppose all attempts to impose Hindi on students of the state and declared it was an attempt by the ruling dispensation to declare “language emergency” and remove “Marathi-ness”.

Raj and Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday reiterated their opposition to the Maharashtra government’s decision to make Hindi the default third language in primary education, with their parties to take part in separate protests on July 6 and July 7, fuelling speculation that they’re set to reunite after nearly two decades ahead of local body polls in the state.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said the Mahayuti government’s decision was like declaring a “language emergency” in the state. The former CM said his party was not against Hindi as a language but was against its imposition in Maharashtra. He said by doing so the Mahayuti wants to “poison the harmony” between Marathi- and Hindi-speaking people for their politics.

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“To impose Hindi is like declaring a language emergency to bring their autocratic regime to Maharashtra,” he said. “Though we don’t oppose Hindi as a language, we will oppose the compulsion of Hindi and will not allow it in Maharashtra.”

After a committee of activists led by Deepak Pawar, chief of Marathi Abhyas Kendra, met him to discuss their agitation against the state government’s decision, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said he will support their movement and his party will participate in the rally they have organised at Azad Maidan on July 7. He also said Shiv Sena (UBT) will continue to protest against the government’s decision till it is withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray said his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has organised a rally from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan on July 6, and he will talk to leaders from other parties, litterateurs, artistes, and other Marathis to join the protest.

“There will be no flag. It will be a rally of Marathi people, and they will lead it. I will speak to litterateurs, parents, and students, asking them to join. The government should know what Maharashtra wants. Maharashtra should show its full strength. I will also speak to other political parties. It is a conspiracy to reduce the importance of Marathi in Maharashtra,” he said.

When asked whether he would invite leaders from the Shiv Sena (UBT) as well to join the protest, Thackeray said all political parties will be approached, adding that Maharashtra is bigger than any fight. “Apart from political parties, I want to see who comes and who doesn’t,” he said.

Maharashtra’s Marathi language minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant hit back at the criticism, claiming that the policy of making Hindi compulsory in Maharashtra schools was approved in January 2022 during the tenure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, when Uddhav Thackeray was chief minister.

“BJP president JP Nadda had stated that there would be only one political party in the nation,” he said. “Their ideology is one nation, one leader, etc. Imposing Hindi is part of that hidden agenda to bring an autocratic regime in Maharashtra. The people of Maharashtra will now understand why they split the Shiv Sena, which was formed to protect the rights of the Marathi people.”

India is a union of states formed on a linguistic basis, so imposing a language in a state would not be tolerated. He also argued that there was no need to impose Hindi in a state where the Hindi film industry is based. “Marathi people understand and speak good Hindi, so what’s the need to impose Hindi? We do not support the three-language policy and will oppose it,” he said.

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The former chief minister also questioned the timing of the decision. “The session of the state legislature will start on Monday, so there will be a controversy and a heated debate on the Hindi language issue. It would help the BJP-led government to cover their corruption cases, but our party will raise its voice over the scams and corruption of this government,” he said, without specifying details.

Maharashtra’s Marathi language minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant hit back at the criticism, saying the policy of making Hindi compulsory in Maharashtra schools was approved in January 2022 during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister.

Addressing a press conference, Samant said the MVA government had set up a task force in October 2020 to implement the National Education Policy (NEP), which recommended a three-language formula. “The Dr Raghunath Mashelkar committee had recommended mandatory teaching of three languages—Marathi, English, and Hindi—from classes 1-12. This proposal was approved by the state cabinet led by Thackeray. If the Thackeray faction truly opposed the compulsory-Hindi provision under NEP 2020, why didn’t they object to it back then?”

Samant said the Mahayuti government’s position on the matter is clear. “There is no plan to impose or mandate Hindi. But with municipal elections nearing, some people are trying to mislead the public for political gain,” he added.

The task force’s report, submitted in June 2021, said, “English and Hindi as second language in the school should be introduced right from the 1st standard…Teaching of English and Hindi as second language should be made compulsory right from 1st standard to 12th standard (or equivalent), and if necessary also during three/four years of college education,” the report said.

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