Will shut down schools if Hindi is imposed from Class 1: MNS chief Raj Thackeray

Raj Thackeray (above) said he was not opposed to any language, but would not tolerate compulsion. File Pic

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Friday said if Hindi was made mandatory for Classes 1 to 5 in schools in Maharashtra, his party will "shut down schools", reported the PTI.

Speaking at a rally at Mira Bhayandar near Mumbai, he referred to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's latest averment that Hindi will be taught in state schools at any costs.

Earlier this month, the BJP-led government had withdrawn two orders making Hindi mandatory in primary schools following strong opposition by several organisations and political parties including the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Raj's estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray.

Speaking at the rally, Raj Thackeray also said he was not opposed to any language, but would not tolerate compulsion.

Earlier, workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had roughed up a local shop-keeper after he allegedly refused to speak in Marathi.

The BJP-led government recently withdrew two orders making Hindi mandatory in primary schools following strong opposition.

CM Fadnavis, however, asserted on Thursday that the government will certainly introduce the three-language formula, but whether Hindi should be taught from Class 1 or Class 5 will be decided by the committee appointed to study the issue.

Raj Thackeray, in his speech, dared CM Fadnavis to impose Hindi. "When they tried it once, we had shut down shops, and now we will not hesitate to shut down schools if Hindi is imposed (from Class 1 to 5)," he said, according to the PTI.

It was unfortunate that the chief minister of Maharashtra was striving to make Hindi compulsory, the MNS chief said.

By imposing Hindi, the government was testing the people's response as it eventually wanted to attach Mumbai to Gujarat, Thackeray alleged.

Hindi was just "200 years old" while Marathi has a history of 2,500-3,000 years, he said.

When migrants from Bihar were beaten up and driven away in Gujarat, it did not become an issue, but a minor incident in Maharashtra becomes a national issue, Raj Thackeray alleged.

He also came down heavily on BJP MP Nishikant Dubey over his reported "patak patak ke marenge" remark, daring him to come to Mumbai, the news agency reported.

"Duba-duba ke marenge (will drown him)," Raj Thackeray said.

He also referred to Morarji Desai and Vallabhbhai Patel's alleged anti-Marathi stand after independence.

Maharashtrians should insist on speaking in Marathi everywhere in the state and make others speak the language, he said.

Under the garb of Hindutva, there is an attempt to impose Hindi, he said.

Raj, however, also stated that he can speak Hindi better than any other politician in Maharashtra as his father was fluent in Hindi, and he was not against any language but opposed its imposition, the news agency reported.

(with PTI inputs)