Was the Withdrawal of Hindi Imposition Due to Marathi Pressure?

Mumbai, June 29 (NationPress) The founder of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Raj Thackeray, announced on Sunday that the state government has retracted its decision to impose the Hindi language, which was cloaked under the guise of implementing a three-language policy starting from the first grade.

“The government has rescinded the two government resolutions (GR) concerning this matter. This should not be mistaken for belated wisdom, as this reversal was prompted exclusively by the demands of the Marathi populace. The government's previous insistence on Hindi and the sources of this pressure remain unclear,” he stated in response to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's announcement to form a committee led by former Planning Commission member Narendra Jadhav to draft a report on a trilingual policy in the state.

“Another committee has been appointed by the government. I want to be clear: whether the committee’s report is submitted or not, such initiatives will not be accepted again, and that is final! The government must remember this! We believe this decision has been permanently revoked, and the people of Maharashtra share this belief. Therefore, do not create confusion with the committee’s report again; otherwise, the government should be aware that this committee will not operate in Maharashtra,” Raj Thackeray warned in a post on X.

“The attempt to impose three languages so that students in Maharashtra learn Hindi has finally been thwarted, and congratulations are in order for all the people of Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has been vocal about this issue since April 2025, and it gradually gained momentum. Subsequently, several political parties began to voice their support. When the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena planned a non-partisan march, numerous political parties and organizations expressed their willingness to join. If this morcha had occurred, it would have been monumental, reminiscent of the United Maharashtra Movement. Perhaps the government was intimidated by this unity, which is understandable—this fear is necessary,” Raj Thackeray remarked.

“Now, the Marathi people must learn from this situation. Your identity and language are under threat from our own representatives, and for them, the language that shaped their upbringing and identity seems trivial... Perhaps they are trying to appease someone. This time, the collective anger of the Marathi community was palpable, and it must be demonstrated consistently,” the MNS founder emphasized.

“That said, witnessing the Marathi community unite for their language is heartening. May this spirit grow stronger, and may the Marathi language become synonymous with knowledge and global relevance—this is our aspiration. Congratulations once again to the Marathi people,” he expressed.

Raj Thackeray had scheduled a morcha on July 5 against the imposition of Hindi and received backing from his estranged brother, Uddhav Thackeray, who also declared support for the protest. However, with the government's decision, Raj Thackeray is unlikely to proceed with the planned morcha on July 5.