India Morning News
A political firestorm has erupted in Maharashtra after the state government’s directive to introduce Hindi as the third language for Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English medium schools. While officials insist the policy was drafted under the NEP-2020 guidelines and remains optional, opponents view it as a threat to Marathi identity and have pledged mass protests in July.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently called for promoting Indian languages, describing Hindi as a “friend of all Indian languages” and urging states to adopt native tongues in higher education. However, Maharashtra’s move to teach Hindi from Class 1 triggered intense backlash. Critics argue early introduction could burden young students and undermine Marathi’s primacy.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar opined that Hindi should start from Class 5, after students master Marathi. Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar concurred, while actor Sayaji Shinde stressed the importance of nurturing Marathi fluency before adding another language
Opposition leaders have rallied strongly. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray criticized the decision as “linguistic emergency” and vowed protest marches on July 7, joined by activist Deepak Pawar
Similarly, MNS leader Raj Thackeray announced a no-party-flag “morcha” on July 6, warning against what he termed the state’s “attack on Marathi culture”
NCP’s Chhagan Bhujbal and Congress’s Harshvardhan Sapkal also condemned the move as an assault on regional language and identity
In response to growing dissent, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that Hindi is not mandatory—students may choose any Indian language, with Marathi remaining compulsory
While the government cites NEP-2020’s three-language formula as the basis, stakeholders are urging broader consultations. CM Fadnavis has scheduled talks with litterateurs, language experts, and political leaders before finalising the policy
With street mobilisations planned and cultural sentiments running high, Maharashtra’s language policy dispute is intensifying, posing a critical test for the state’s assertion of linguistic identity and the limits of educational reform.
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