Hindi and Marathi share natural closeness, cultural unity: Maha CM Devendra Fadnavis

Education in the mother tongue enables knowledge to be absorbed more effectively, he said.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said Hindi and Marathi share a natural closeness and cultural unity, as both languages have evolved from the Sanskrit tradition and use the Devanagari script.

“The bond between Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh has remained strong for centuries through the threads of knowledge, tradition and culture,” Fadnavis said in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.

Addressing a function organised by the Mumbai Hindi Patrakar Sangh to mark 200 years of Hindi journalism, the Chief Minister underscored the importance of mother-tongue education, arguing that nations which have achieved sustained progress have largely done so by educating their citizens in their native languages.

“Through the mother tongue and Indian languages, the heritage of knowledge, culture and values reaches future generations. Education in the mother tongue enables knowledge to be absorbed more effectively. Therefore, the policy of giving priority to the mother tongue under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will prove beneficial for the country's development,” he said.

Fadnavis' remarks come at a time when language policy has emerged as a significant subject of public discourse across several states, with debates ranging from the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) and multilingual education to the role of regional languages in governance, technology and employment. 

Education experts have increasingly argued that strengthening mother-tongue instruction in the early years, while ensuring proficiency in other Indian and global languages, can help preserve cultural heritage as well as improve learning outcomes.

Drawing comparisons with major economies, Fadnavis noted that Germany imparts education in German, Japan in Japanese, China in Chinese and France in French. “Developed nations progressed through their own languages. Giving importance to education in the mother tongue will greatly benefit India's development,” he said.

At the same time, he stressed that citizens should acquire proficiency not only in their mother tongue but also in other Indian languages, describing language as a medium of communication and cultural exchange rather than conflict.

“Political gains may come from creating disputes over languages, but the country's knowledge tradition will suffer,” he said, calling for equal respect for all Indian languages.

Reflecting on the bicentenary of Hindi journalism, Fadnavis said the language's media tradition had played a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and nurturing national consciousness during the freedom movement.

“The journey that began with Udant Martand, the first Hindi newspaper, gave direction to social and national thought currents in the country. Many leaders of the freedom struggle used journalism as a medium to keep national sentiment alive,” he said.

Commenting on the changing media landscape, Fadnavis observed that journalism has undergone a profound transformation with the growth of print, electronic, digital and social media platforms.

“More important than how quickly news is disseminated is its truthfulness and credibility. As the fourth pillar of democracy, journalism plays a crucial role in preserving social values and strengthening democratic institutions,” he said.

Noting the rise of user-generated content, the Chief Minister remarked that social media has effectively turned every citizen into a potential publisher.

“Earlier there was print media, then electronic media. Today everyone has become a journalist through social media. People create their own news by posting photographs and messages about themselves,” he said, while urging the media to uphold its core values despite rapid technological changes.