MNS urges leaders to join July 5 protest against ‘Hindi imposition’

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Uddhav Sena will hold a joint protest march in Mumbai on July 5, opposing the state's move to make Hindi compulsory as a second or third language in schools.

On Sunday, MNS leaders invited NCP’s Sameer Bhujbal, BJP MLA Sanjay Kenekar, and the Uddhav Sena city chief to join the protest. MNS district president Sumit Khambekar met Bhujbal at Subhedari Guest House and Kenekar later in the day. MLA Sanjay Kenekar dismissed the move, calling it a political stunt ahead of civic polls, and said CM Devendra Fadnavis had already clarified that Hindi is not mandatory. In contrast, Khambekar said a government resolution mandates Hindi for students who don’t select a third language, calling it a form of indirect compulsion. "Marathi people must unite to oppose this," he said.