06 June,2025 04:39 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Raj Thackeray (above) raised concerns about early textbook printing for Hindi based on the previous policy, suggesting that this could be an attempt to go back on the revised decision. File Pic
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Friday said that he has written a letter to School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, demanding that the state government issue a written order confirming the implementation of a two-language policy in schools from Class 1 onwards.
In the letter posted on his X handle, Raj Thackeray criticised the state government for creating confusion over the past two months regarding the teaching of Hindi as a third compulsory language.
He pointed out that the initial announcement -- to introduce three languages from Class 1, including Hindi -- sparked strong public opposition, which led the government to later clarify that Hindi would not be mandatory.
The MNS chief has stated that Hindi is not the national language, but one of the many regional languages of India, and questioned why it was being forced upon students.
He also raised concerns about early textbook printing for Hindi based on the previous policy, suggesting that this could be an attempt to go back on the revised decision.
He warned that if the government tried to reverse its stand under any pressure, MNS would launch a strong agitation, and 'the government would be responsible for the consequences'.
Raj Thackeray also appealed to the state to take inspiration from other Indian states that have chosen only two languages -- their regional language and English.
He called on the ministers of Maharashtra, many of whom are Marathi by birth, to show similar commitment to protecting the state's linguistic identity.
Earlier, in April this year, Raj Thackeray ahad strongly condemned the government resolution (GR) proposing the current two-language format in schools to be replaced by a three-language structure under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with Hindi made mandatory in addition to English and Marathi.
Facing criticism over making Hindi language compulsory for Std 1 to 5 across the state, the Maharashtra government had later stepped back.
The state School Education Minister Dada Bhuse had later clarified that Hindi is not compulsory, but optional under the three-language formula under the NEP.
