Welcome to India Press Live! The “Hindi imposition” issue has now reached Maharashtra, as the state government has decided to make Hindi a compulsory third language in primary schools alongside Marathi and English. This decision has sparked strong objections from the Opposition Congress and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.
Raj Thackeray, the leader of MNS, criticized this move and the Centre’s three-language policy, advocating for a “Marathi first” approach. He highlighted the resistance in the southern states against Hindi and called for Maharashtra to follow suit.
In a recent statement, Mr. Thackeray directly targeted the Centre, stating, “Whatever your trilingual formula is, limit it to government affairs, do not bring it to education.” He expressed his party’s firm stance against the attempts to promote Hindi at the expense of regional languages.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar also condemned the introduction of Hindi as a compulsory language, emphasizing the importance of preserving Marathi identity and language. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, defended the state’s decision and endorsed the Centre’s language policy.
The debate over Hindi imposition is not limited to Maharashtra, as Tamil Nadu has been at the forefront of resisting the imposition of Hindi in classrooms. The state’s ruling party, DMK, has raised concerns about cultural homogenization and the loss of linguistic diversity.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has warned about the impact of promoting Hindi on regional languages and cultural identities. His son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, has highlighted the risk of languages dying out due to neglect.
As the language debate intensifies across India, the issue of linguistic diversity and cultural preservation remains a key concern for many states. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story!
