MNS Chief Warns Against Linguistic Imposition Under NEP 2020 Rollout
Mumbai |
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has voiced strong opposition to the state government’s decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language in all schools from Classes 1 to 5, under the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The government recently announced that the policy will be implemented in a phased manner from the academic year 2025–26, requiring Marathi and English medium schools to add Hindi to their early curriculum. This move, Thackeray claims, amounts to the “forcible imposition of Hindi” and undermines linguistic autonomy.
📘 Curriculum vs. Culture: Thackeray’s Key Objections
In a social media statement, Thackeray referenced the State Curriculum Framework 2024, which mandates Hindi from Class 1, calling it unacceptable.
“Maharashtra Navnirman Sena will not tolerate this imposition,”
he said, warning that such policies risk disrupting the linguistic balance upon which India’s state boundaries and cultural identities were built.
Thackeray argued that Hindi is not India’s national language, but rather one among many regional tongues.
“Why should children in Maharashtra be compelled to learn Hindi from Grade 1, when their mother tongue is Marathi?” he questioned.
🛑 Warning Against ‘Hindi-isation’
The MNS leader accused the Centre of pushing a broader “Hindi-isation agenda”, suggesting that similar measures have not been implemented in other non-Hindi-speaking states, particularly in the South.
“Why is this being done only in Maharashtra? Is it because the state government is remaining silent on this matter?” he asked.
He warned that the MNS would oppose the distribution of Hindi textbooks and resist any attempt to enforce the policy, claiming it could lead to linguistic and political tensions ahead of upcoming elections.
🗳️ Politics, Language, and Public Sentiment
Thackeray linked the language mandate to pre-election political strategies, suggesting it serves to distract from core issues such as unemployment, farmer distress, and economic slowdown.
“When governments have nothing to show, they often fall back on divisive tactics — much like the British once did,” he said.
He emphasized that his opposition was not rooted in religious or cultural animosity but in defending Marathi linguistic identity, stating:
“We are Hindus, but we are not Hindi.”
A Call for Unity
Thackeray concluded by urging other political parties, journalists, and the public to stand in defense of the Marathi language and cultural respect, regardless of ideology.
“If today it’s language, tomorrow it will be something else. We must act before our future is diluted,” he said.
Language has long been a sensitive thread in India’s federal fabric. As the NEP 2020 aims for uniform reforms, states like Maharashtra are demanding flexibility and regional autonomy, especially when identity and education intersect. The ongoing debate highlights a larger conversation about national cohesion and cultural respect.
