Hindi row: Maharashtra withdraws govt orders on three-language policy

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also announced the formation of a committee under educationist Narendra Jadhav to suggest the way forward and implementation of the language policy.

Mumbai: In a surprising move, the BJP-led Maha Yuti dispensation cancelled the government resolutions on the three-language policy introducing Hindi as a subject in primary classes in Maharashtra.

The Devendra Fadnavis government was fearing a massive backlash because of the aggressive campaign of Thackeray cousins who were protesting against "Hindi imposition on the Marathi-manoos."

In the process, Maha Yuti seemed to have fizzled out the campaign of the cousins, who stood for the case of Marathi-pride and Maharashtra.

However, the Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray-led MNS claimed victory and noted that the government was forced to withdraw the orders because of the unity of people of Maharashtra.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was under fire from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, made the announcement on Sunday evening after the Cabinet met on the eve of the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature.

The grand mega rally to oppose the move on July 5 by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray, however, would take place in the form of a victory meeting.

The rally would bring together the estranged Thackeray cousins on one public political platform after a gap of 20 years.

“There would be a function…we will gather...we are working on it…whether it would be a rally or meeting,” said Uddhav, adding that in a couple of days details would be announced.

The announcement by Fadnavis and his two deputies Eknath Shinde, who is the Shiv Sena chief and Ajit Pawar, the NCP president, came hours after the MVA boycotted the customary tea meeting hosted by CM on the eve of legislature session and burning of the copies of the GRs at a protest meet organised by Marathi Abhyas Kendra and like-minded organisation which was spearheaded by Uddhav, a former chief minister.

The government had initially issued a GR on April 16, mandating Hindi as a compulsory third language for students from classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi medium schools.

Following the backlash and public resentment, however, the government issued an amended GR on June 17 making Hindi an optional language and gave an option that if 20 students per grade in a school express the desire to study any Indian language other than Hindi.

On the other hand, on June 27, the Language Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the government on matters pertaining to the Marathi language, passed a resolution demanding that no third language, including Hindi, be taught before Class 5.

A new committee led by economist and educationalist Dr Narendra Jadhav has been formed to re-examine the matter, and both GRs will stay suspended until a fresh review.

Fadnavis claimed that Thackeray had accepted the Dr Raghunath Mashelkar panel's suggestions on implementing the three-language policy from class 1.

"The three-language formula introduced in the NEP was supported even by Thackeray when he was the CM. He had formed a committee which recommended making Hindi, Marathi, and English compulsory. That report was accepted by Uddhav Thackeray’s cabinet, and it even bears his signature. Now, they are doing politics over the very same issue,” he said.

However, Uddhav later clarified that the Dr Mashelkar Committee was for higher and technical education. “We (MVA) have not come out with any GR…it they who had come out with the GRs,” he said that the report was submitted, however, within days the MVA government was toppled and there was no scope of studying it.

Over the past few days, opposition parties were joined by academics, educationists, activists, artists to air their voice against the government move.

“They don’t want the Marathi people to come together,” said Uddhav slamming the BJP-led dispensation. “We are not against Hindi language,” he reiterated.

“The government has once again appointed a new committee. I say clearly, let the committee’s report come or not, but such actions will not be tolerated again, and that’s final! The government should engrave this in their minds forever! We assume this decision has been permanently canceled, and the people of Maharashtra have assumed the same,” said Raj.