Raj Thackeray warns of shutting down schools if Hindi is imposed from Class 1: 'We will not hesitate...'

Mumbai:

In a fiery speech at a public rally in Thane, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray issued a stern warning to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, declaring that if the state government goes ahead with plans to make Hindi compulsory from Classes 1 to 5, his party would not hesitate to shut down schools across Maharashtra. Speaking at a rally at Mira Bhayandar in the district, he urged Maharashtrians to resist any attempts by the government to impose Hindi at the cost of the Marathi language.

His statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding language policy in the state. Recently, MNS workers allegedly assaulted a local shopkeeper for refusing to converse in Marathi. The incident drew sharp criticism and highlighted the party's aggressive stance on promoting regional language pride. Facing widespread opposition, the BJP-led state government has since withdrawn two official orders that had made Hindi mandatory in primary education.

Three-language formula under review

However, on Thursday, Fadnavis asserted that the government will certainly introduce the three-language formula, but whether Hindi should be taught from Class 1 or Class 5 will be decided by the committee appointed to study the issue. Raj Thackeray, in his speech, dared Fadnavis to impose Hindi. "When they tried it once, we had shut down shops, and now we will not hesitate to shut down schools if Hindi is imposed (from Class 1 to 5)," he said.

Fears over Mumbai's identity

It was unfortunate that the chief minister of Maharashtra was striving to make Hindi compulsory, the MNS chief said. By imposing Hindi, the government was testing the people's response as it eventually wanted to attach Mumbai to Gujarat, Thackeray alleged. Hindi was just "200 years old" while Marathi has a history of 2,500-3,000 years, he said. When migrants from Bihar were beaten up and driven away in Gujarat, it did not become an issue, but a minor incident in Maharashtra becomes a national issue, Raj Thackeray alleged.

Verbal attack on BJP leaders

He also came down heavily on BJP MP Nishikant Dubey over his reported "patak patak ke marenge" remark, daring him to come to Mumbai. "Duba-duba ke marenge (will drown him)," Thackeray said. He also referred to Morarji Desai and Vallabhbhai Patel's alleged anti-Marathi stand after independence. Maharashtrians should insist on speaking in Marathi everywhere in the state and make others speak the language, he said. Under the garb of Hindutva, there is an attempt to impose Hindi, he said. However, Thackeray also stated that he can speak Hindi better than any other politician in Maharashtra as his father was fluent in Hindi, and he was not against any language per se but opposed its imposition.

(With inputs from PTI)

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