Raj Thackeray Threatens School Shutdowns Over Hindi
MNS chief slams mandatory Hindi in schools
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray issued a stern warning to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, threatening to “shut down schools” if Hindi is made compulsory for Classes 1 to 5 in Maharashtra. Speaking at a rally in Mira Bhayandar near Mumbai on Friday, Thackeray urged Maharashtrians to resist any move to impose Hindi, escalating tensions over the state’s language policy.
Thackeray’s remarks come in response to Fadnavis’s recent push for a three-language formula, despite the BJP-led government retracting two orders mandating Hindi in primary schools after public backlash. Fadnavis clarified that a committee would decide whether Hindi should be taught from Class 1 or Class 5. Thackeray, however, dared the government to enforce the policy, recalling how MNS previously shut down shops in protest. “If Hindi is imposed, we won’t hesitate to shut down schools,” he declared.
Criticizing Fadnavis, Thackeray called it “unfortunate” that Maharashtra’s chief minister was advocating for Hindi, alleging a hidden agenda to align Mumbai with Gujarat. He emphasized Marathi’s 2,500–3,000-year history compared to Hindi’s “200 years” and accused the government of using Hindutva to push Hindi imposition.
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Thackeray also referenced past MNS actions, including an incident where party workers allegedly assaulted a shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi. He further criticized BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s reported “patak patak ke marenge” remark, retorting, “Dube-dube ke marenge,” and challenged him to come to Mumbai.
While asserting his fluency in Hindi, Thackeray clarified he isn’t against any language but opposes its forced imposition. He called on Maharashtrians to prioritize speaking Marathi statewide and claimed historical figures like Morarji Desai and Vallabhbhai Patel held anti-Marathi stances post-independence.
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