Maharashtra Cancels Language Policy Resolution Amid Hindi Imposition Charge

The Maharashtra government has cancelled an amended resolution on the three-language policy for schools, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announcing a panel to discuss the way ahead.

After a state Cabinet meeting, Mr Fadnavis announced, “We have decided that a committee will be formed under the leadership of Dr Narendra Jadhav to determine from which standard the languages should be implemented, how the implementation should take place, and what choices should be given to students. Based on the report submitted by this committee, the state government will make a final decision on the implementation of the three-language policy. Until then, both the Government Resolutions issued on April 16 and June 17 have been cancelled.”

Mr Fadnavis maintained that the government’s focus will remain on Marathi. He also hit out at Uddhav Thackeray for protesting against Hindi but accepting English. He alleged that as chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray had accepted the recommendations of the Dr Raghunath Mashelkar committee to introduce a three-language policy from class 1 to 12 and set up a committee on the policy implementation.

This comes hours after a Shiv Sena (UBT)-led protest in Mumbai and across the state where copies of the June 17 resolution were burned. The resolution stated that Hindi “generally” the third language, and not mandatory, for Classes 1 to 5 in English and Marathi medium schools. The party’s chief Uddhav Thackeray had said that he does not oppose Hindi but just its imposition.

The June 17 order had also stated that if 20 students or more in a class wanted to learn an Indian language other than Hindi, the school would make arrangements to that effect.

The Fadnavis government had issued a GR on April 16, making Hindi a compulsory third language for students in classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi medium schools. Amid backlash, the government issued an amended GR on June 17 making Hindi an optional language.

The second GR reopened the ‘Hindi imposition’ row, which refers to claims by non-Hindi-speaking states – that Hindi is being forced on non-native speakers to the detriment of their languages.

As civic polls near in Mumbai, the language row saw estranged Thackeray brothers – Uddhav and Raj – come together to announce a July 5 protest on the issue. The protest now stands cancelled.