Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jul 7: Amid the ongoing political storm in Maharashtra over the alleged imposition of Hindi in primary education, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has clarified that the party is not against the Hindi language, but firmly opposes making it compulsory in schools.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Raut said, “Southern states have been resisting the imposition of Hindi for years by completely rejecting the language. But our stand is different. We speak Hindi in Maharashtra. However, forcing it as a mandatory subject in primary education will not be tolerated.”
He further added that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin congratulated them on their successful protest and expressed interest in learning from it. “We have not stopped anyone from speaking in Hindi. We have Hindi movies, theatre, and music. Our issue is only with making it compulsory in the early stages of education,” Raut reiterated.
When asked about the political significance of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray sharing the stage after nearly two decades, Raut confirmed their reunion but added, “Yes, they’ve come together, but what have they come together for?”
On July 5, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) jointly held a massive rally titled ‘Awaaz Marathicha’ at Mumbai’s Worli Dome, marking a rare political collaboration between Uddhav and Raj Thackeray. The rally came after the Maharashtra government withdrew two Government Resolutions (GRs) that sought to implement the three-language formula, making Hindi a third compulsory language in state-run schools.
The resolutions had sparked sharp backlash from opposition parties including Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), who saw it as a threat to Marathi identity and culture.
Reacting to the rally, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accused Uddhav Thackeray of using the event for political optics. “There was an expectation that Uddhavji would apologise to the Marathi people for accepting the report mandating compulsory Hindi. But instead, he made it a platform for political posturing. He didn’t raise any issue concerning the Marathi Manoos,” Shinde alleged.
As the language debate continues to stir emotions across the state, political parties remain divided over what constitutes cultural respect and what amounts to linguistic imposition.