In a strong response to the Maharashtra state government's decision to enforce Hindi as a third compulsory language from Class 1 onwards, MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) chief Raj Thackeray has made a significant announcement. He declared that a massive protest march will be held on July 6 at Girgaum Chowpatty, opposing this imposition of Hindi. Raj Thackeray emphasized that this march will have no political flags, and the sole agenda will be "Marathi". He called on all political parties to join the protest, urging every Marathi citizen in the state to participate. “I will not allow any language, including Hindi, to be forced upon us,” Raj said. He added that language and education experts will receive formal communication from him, and that students and parents are being invited to attend the rally. "The government must understand what people really feel," he added.
The rally is scheduled for a Sunday, making it easier for students and parents to attend. Calling the government's move a "conspiracy," Raj Thackeray urged all Marathi people to unite and join the protest. Although the march has been announced by MNS, Raj made it clear that no political party will lead it—it will be led by common Marathi people. He also issued a veiled warning, stating, "I want to see who does not attend this rally," sparking speculation about who the warning was directed at.
A Warning to Political Leaders and Artists?
It is believed that Raj’s warning is directed at political leaders and artists. Many political parties have criticized the government for enforcing Hindi, but whether their top leaders will join the protest remains to be seen. Additionally, several artists have remained silent on the issue, and their stance may become clear on July 6.
Education Experts Voice Concerns
Even though the government removed the word "mandatory" from its revised decision dated June 17, several education experts remain skeptical. They argue that the revised decision still indicates a clear intent to impose Hindi as a third language from the first grade. Prominent experts like Dr. Deepak Pawar (Marathi Studies Center), Ramesh Panse (Grammangal), Chinmayi Sumit (Goodwill Ambassador for Marathi Schools), Girish Samant (education analyst), language expert Prakash Parab, writer-poet Dr. Shripad Bhalchandra Joshi (Maharashtra Cultural Front), Kautikrao Patil (Marathwada Literary Council), and Kishor Darak, among others, have strongly criticized the move. They describe it as a case where the "cure is worse than the disease."