The ongoing Marathi Vs Hindi language debate has taken a sharp turn, with Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) ramping up its opposition to the promotion of Hindi. In a bold move, the party has put up provocative posters in Dadar, a Marathi-dominated area often considered the heart of Mumbai. The posters, catching the attention of locals and sparking debate across political circles, read: "Hum Hindu Hain, Lekin Hindi Nahi" (We are Hindus, but not Hindi).
The posters reflect growing anger among some Marathi-speaking groups who feel that the regional language is being sidelined. MNS has warned that if the government does not reverse its pro-Hindi decision, a fierce struggle will be inevitable, and that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government will be responsible for its consequences on the government.
Raj Thackeray holds meeting with party leaders
Under the leadership of Thackeray, a crucial meeting of the party’s senior leaders is currently underway in Mumbai. As per sources, the central focus of the discussion is to chalk out a strategy to oppose the Maharashtra government's recent decision to introduce Hindi as a compulsory subject from Classes 1 to 5 under the New Education Policy (NEP).
Earlier on Thursday, Raj Thackeray strongly criticised the state government for making Hindi compulsory from Class 1 and said his party will not tolerate this coercion at all. Taking to X, Raj Thackeray said that as per the State School Curriculum Plan 2024, Hindi language has been made compulsory in Maharashtra from the first grade onwards. “I want to say in clear words that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena will not tolerate this coercion at all,” he said.
"We will not allow the efforts of the Central government to 'Hindi-nize' the entire country to succeed in Maharashtra. Hindi is not a national language. It is a state language like other languages of the country. Then why should it be taught from the first class in Maharashtra? The three-language formula should be limited to government functions only, don't try to impose it on the education sector. In this country, states were formed on the basis of language, and this system continued for so many years. So why has suddenly started the process of imposing the language of another state on Maharashtra? This is a violation of the principles of state structure formed on linguistic basis," Thackeray added.
Hindi mandatory 3rd language for Classes 1-5 in Maharashtra
It is to be noted here that the language war has intensified in Maharashtra after the state government made the teaching of Hindi compulsory as a third language from Class 1 in all state board schools, alongside Marathi and English. The decision has been taken in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The state school education department has declared a phase-wise implementation plan of the new curriculum framework designed as per the NEP 2020 recommendations for school education. According to a Government Resolution (GR), Hindi as a third language will be compulsory from Class 1 to 5 from the next academic year. The new syllabus as per NEP will be implemented for Class 1 in 2025-26.