3 min readMumbaiJun 18, 2025 06:24 PM IST
First published on: Jun 18, 2025 at 06:10 PM IST
The Maharashtra government’s decision on teaching Hindi as a third language to Class 1 to 5 students in Marathi and English medium schools in the state has drawn the ire of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, who warned that such a move would threaten the cultural and linguistic identity of the state.
“Why is Hindi being forced only in Maharashtra? Are you going to teach Marathi as the third language in Bihar or elsewhere in the country?,” Thackeray questioned at a press conference on Wednesday.
“If the central government has left language policy to the states, then why is there pressure to impose Hindi here?,” he added.
Thackeray’s criticism of the alleged imposition of Hindi in schools across Maharashtra came a day after an amended government order was issued saying that Hindi will “generally” be the third language, instead of being mandatory.
It also gave an option to opt out if 20 students per grade in a school express the desire to study any Indian language other than Hindi.
Thackeray revealed that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier assured him that the decision to introduce Hindi from Class 1 would be rolled back.
However, Thackeray claimed that the issue had resurfaced, prompting him to address it for the third time.
Citing Gujarat’s example, Thackeray noted that schools there have made Gujarati, Mathematics, and English compulsory from Class 1, without enforcing Hindi.
“When Amit Shah and Narendra Modi are at the helm, and there is no such compulsion in Gujarat, why is Maharashtra being singled out?” he asked.
The MNS chief also accused the government of deliberately pushing for the “Hindi-fication” of Maharashtra.
“This is not just about language. It is an attempt to erase Marathi identity. If we do not resist this today, Marathi as a language could face extinction in the near future,” he warned.
Thackeray also called upon writers, intellectuals, and the media to question the government’s language policy.
“This is not about politics. My stand is for the children, for the schools, and for the future of Maharashtra,” he asserted.
Highlighting that Hindi is already available as an optional subject from Class 6, Thackeray questioned the need to introduce it from Class 1.
He also raised concerns about whether such a move was aimed at making it easier for civil servants to use Hindi in administration.
“I want to personally visit schools and see how Hindi is being taught. If the government sees this as a challenge, so be it,” he declared.
Calling for a united front across political parties, Thackeray urged leaders and citizens to set aside politics and stand up for Marathi.
“Those who speak Hindi are trying to erase your identity. Once Hindi infiltrates every space, it will be impossible to remove it,” he said.
A press conference was convened by Raj Thackeray in Mumbai on Wednesday morning to address the state government's education policy.
(Express Photo by Akash Patil) 
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