Amit Shah Hindi remarks row: Maharashtra CM accuses Opposition of twisting Union Home Minister's comments

Maharashtra Chief Minister CM Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday defended Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on the Hindi language accusing the Opposition of selectively interpreting his speech and taking his comments out of context news agency IANS reported 0239pm 1592026MumbaiLIVE Media InteractionMaharashtra MumbaihttpstcothVDxY7J8dmdash Devendra Fadnavis Dev_Fadnavis September 15 2026The controversy erupted after Shah speaking at the Rajbhasha Sammelan in Navi Mumbai described Maharashtra as a leading multilingual state and said there was no reason to oppose learning an additional national language alongside onersquos mother tongue His remarks drew criticism from Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNSExpressing indirect disapproval MNS chief Raj Thackeray posted a cryptic message on social media stating A cow does not die from a crows curse That is all for now mdash Raj Thackeray RajThackeray September 15 2026Responding to the criticism Fadnavis told reporters that Shah had explicitly emphasised the importance of the mother tongue and highlighted the rightful status of Marathi in Maharashtra He urged political leaders to avoid taking statements out of contextFadnavis speaks on Manoj Jarange Patil rallyOn the Mumbai Police denying permission for activist Manoj Jarange Patils rally Fadnavis said maintaining law and order remains a priority particularly during the upcoming festival seasonHe stated that fresh applications would be reviewed on merit adding that the state government had already accepted several of Jaranges demands while others remain pending before the courtHave not reviewed the document yet CM on CBI FIR inDisha Salian caseOn reports of a new CBI FIR naming political figures in connection with the Disha Salian case Fadnavis said he had not yet reviewed the documentHe noted that the CBI is acting pursuant to High Court directions and advised against premature speculation while the legal process takes its courseMaharashtra Cabinet decisionsFadnavis said the state Cabinet on Tuesday approved several key decisions to support sugarcane farmers strengthen cooperative sugar factories and improve the evaluation of government schemesAmong the major decisions was the provision of soft loans to cooperative sugar mills the establishment of the Maharashtra Technical Assistance Cell MahaTech and a decision to return agricultural land in Ahilyanagar district to its original ownersTo provide financial stability to distressed cooperative sugar factories the state government approved soft loans This capital support will help sugar mills clear pending Fair and Remunerative Price FRP dues owed to farmers for the 2025ndash26 crushing season and ensure preparations for the upcoming 2026ndash27 season Fadnavis saidThe Cabinet also approved the creation of the Maharashtra Technical Assistance Cell MahaTech to evaluate and optimise state government schemesImplemented in collaboration with IIMMumbai and the Center for Planning and Policy Research the cell will evaluate 25 key state policies and 25 major welfare schemes over the next year with the aim of improving decisionmaking and delivery effectivenessLand to be returned to farmers in AhilyanagarIn a significant relief for farmers in Haregaon village in Shrirampur taluka of Ahilyanagar district the Cabinet decided to return lands currently held by the Maharashtra State Farming Corporation to their original ownersNecessary amendments to the Maharashtra Agricultural Lands Act 1961 were approved to facilitate the transferThe Cabinet also approved a complete exemption from stamp duty on registration of the lease deed for the Nashik branch of the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad located in the Nashik Municipal Corporation building to establish a study centre and libraryFurther it cleared the free transfer of 624030 square metres of government land to the Arvi Municipal Council in Wardha district for the construction of a commercial complexThe Cabinet also approved amendments to the Maharashtra Municipal Councils Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act 1965Additionally the Cabinet sanctioned administrative approval and expenditure for creating four new administrative posts for the Chairmans office of the Mumbai Police Housing Township ProjectWith IANS inputs