Maharashtra scraps order making Hindi 3rd language in schools

MUMBAI: Buffeted by an anti-Hindi campaign led by the Thackeray cousins, CM Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday announced that the state cabinet had decided to scrap two Govt Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as a third language for class 1 students.

The announcement came on a day when public protests against introducing Hindi in primary schools started with Uddhav Thackeray present at a symbolic burning of the GRs at Azad Maidan. A stormy start was also expected to the monsoon session of the state legislature on Monday.

Announcing a rollback, the CM also set up a panel led by academic Narendra Jadhav to frame recommendations for implementing a three-language policy . "Our policy is Marathi-centric and Marathi student-centric. We do not wish to do politics on this issue," said Fadnavis.


Following the announcement, the Thackerays called off a joint protest rally to be held on July 5 and instead hold a 'victory procession'. Both Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena had described the move to start Hindi lessons in primary school as a ' linguistic imposition '.

Announcing a rollback, Fadnavis cited recommendations of the Mashelkar committee set up by his predecessor in 2020 to defend his govt's move. He said Thackeray formed the expert panel to guide the administration on adopting the new National Education Policy. He said the report was accepted by Thackeray, Congress and NCP (SP) when in power. "But as usual when in power speak differently, when out of power speak differently. Opposition for opposition sake," he added.