99th Marathi Sahitya Sammelan | Only Marathi is mandatory in Maharashtra: Fadnavis at Sahitya Sammelan in Satara

Even as he stated that only Marathi will be mandatory in Maharashtra, the Chief Minister said, ”We are rolling out the red carpet for other languages such as English, French and Spanish but are opposing Indian languages. This is not appropriate. All languages should be respected. But there should be more respect for the mother tongue.”

The Chief Minister said a committee under Dr Narendra Jadhav has been set up to find out from which class Marathi should be taught. “The committee is in the final stages of its work,” he said. Fadnavis said Marathi was already a “classical language” before the BJP government accorded it classical status. “We have to use this opportunity to promote Marathi language across the country,” he said.

Responding to allegations from the literary community that politics is brought into the literary world, Fadnavis said, ”The Marathi sahitya sammelan shows the direction…Such guidance will continue to be available through the Sahitya Sammelan. We do not want to bring politics in literary events. Till the time I am the Chief Minister, political interference will not be there in the literary events. Literattuers should come into politics but politics should not be brought into the literary world…That is my request,” he said.

Stating that Marathi pride will remain till the world lasts, the Chief Minister said, “Several Marathi litterateurs helped Marathi language prosper…I strongly believe that the work of writers, authors, literatures is not for entertainment, but for the purpose of creating and spreading awareness. And that is how the literature is created. When there is criticism, we are not the ones who will feel bad about it. I feel when there is criticism and if it is appropriate, it helps one to correct oneself.”

Sammelan president Vishwas Patil, reception committee chief Chhatrapati Shivendra Raje Bhosale, outgoing Sammelan chief Tara Bhavalkar, and Rural Development Minister Jaykumar Gore were present at the event.

During his address, Fadnavis apologised for speaking on the phone while sharing the stage with dignitaries at the event. Fadnavis said since it was election time, he was managing rebel candidates, even as the deadline for withdrawing nominations for municipal polls across the state ended on Friday. The BJP is facing severe backlash from its loyal party workers and leaders who were denied tickets to contest the municipal corporations elections in Maharashtra.

“Everyone knows that I do not speak on the phone when I am on the dais. But today, I had no option. There are rebel candidates in every party. They do not withdraw unless they are spoken to and pacified,” he said.

“I apologise to the literary fraternity for being on the phone even as the event was underway,” said Fadnavis, adding that he had, however, remained attentive to the proceedings.