Representative image of protest
Credit: iStock Photo
Mumbai: At a time when the three-language formula under New Education Policy has emerged as top political issue in Maharashtra, the two-day National Conference of Estimates Committees of Parliament and State & UT Legislative Bodies being held in Vidhan Bhavan complex in Mumbai snowballed into a major issue as the backdrop did not have the details in Marathi and just in English and Hindi.
Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla addressed the inaugural session of the Estimates Committee to commemorate the platinum jubilee in presence of Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Harivansh, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, Maharashtra Legislative Council chairperson Prof Ram Shinde, deputy chairperson Dr Neelam Gorhe.
Maharashtra Legislature Estimates Committee Chairman Arjun Khotkar too was present at the function.
The Raj Thackeray-led MNS, which is vehemently opposing the three-language formula, was the first to flag the issue.
However, because of some objectionable words, MNS Mumbai president Sandeep Deshpande came under fire from the leaders of the ruling MahaYuti-NDA dispensation.
"Why are there no banners in Marathi on the main stage at the conference? If we don't honour Marathi, who will? Even though this is a national conference, the venue is Mumbai and Maharashtra, so Marathi should have been used,” Deshpande said.
Shinde, when asked about it, said: “The function was organised by the Lok Sabha secretariat and hence the backdrop was in English and Hindi. In all the Maharashtra government organised functions, Marathi is on the top and prominently and it will remain so in future.”
“Marathi is our mother tongue. It has been given classical language status…they are criticising small things,” she said, adding that Fadnavis, Shinde and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar are committed to Marathi language.
Deshpande added that he was ready to face a breach of privilege notice for his remarks and also go to jail for the sake of Marathi language.