logo
Maharashtra withdraws language policy resolutions amid row over Hindi imposition

Maharashtra withdraws language policy resolutions amid row over Hindi imposition

Hindustan Times11 hours ago

Amid a growing chorus against the introduction of the Hindi language in Maharashtra schools from classes 1 to 5, the state cabinet on Sunday decided to withdraw two GRs (government orders) on the implementation of the three-language policy. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announces panel led by educationist Narendra Jadhav to review and guide implementation of Maharashtra's language policy.(PTI File)
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also announced the formation of a committee under educationist Narendra Jadhav to suggest the way forward and implementation of the language policy.
Fadnavis 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.
"The state cabinet has decided to withdraw the Government Resolutions (GR) issued in April and June regarding the implementation of the three-language policy from class one. A committee headed by Dr Narendra Jadhav will be formed to recommend implementation (of Amid rising opposition to the introduction of Hindi as a mandatory subject in Maharashtra schools from classes 1 to 5, the state cabinet on Sunday decided to withdraw two Government Resolutions (GRs) related to the implementation of the three-language policy.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that a new committee headed by noted educationist Dr Narendra Jadhav would be formed to recommend the way forward for implementing the language policy.
Fadnavis alleged that it was former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who had approved the recommendations of the Dr Raghunath Mashelkar committee, which proposed introducing the three-language formula from class 1 to class 12. Thackeray, he claimed, had also constituted a committee for implementing the policy.
"The state cabinet has decided to withdraw the Government Resolutions (GR) issued in April and June regarding the implementation of the three-language policy from class one. A committee headed by Dr Narendra Jadhav will be formed to recommend implementation (of the three-language formula)," Fadnavis said.
Earlier, the Fadnavis-led government had issued a GR on April 16, making Hindi a compulsory third language for students from classes 1 to 5 in English and Marathi medium schools. Following backlash from opposition parties and sections of civil society, the government issued an amended GR on June 17, making Hindi an optional subject instead.the three-language formula)," Fadnavis said.
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.
With PTI inputs

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

JP Nadda, Haryana BJP leaders listens to PM's ‘Mann ki Baat' in Gurugram
JP Nadda, Haryana BJP leaders listens to PM's ‘Mann ki Baat' in Gurugram

Hindustan Times

time28 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

JP Nadda, Haryana BJP leaders listens to PM's ‘Mann ki Baat' in Gurugram

Jun 30, 2025 06:36 AM IST Haryana BJP on Sunday held a mass listening event for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popular radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat' in Gurugram that BJP's national president JP Nadda attended. Union minister and BJP national president JP Nadda being greeted by Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini during a 'Mann Ki Baat' programme in Gurugram on Sunday. (PTI) Also present were chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli, environment minister Rao Narbir Singh and party workers. The event took place at the Badshahpur Assembly constituency. Speaking after the broadcast, Saini said that 'Mann Ki Baat' highlights inspiring stories of ordinary citizens making extraordinary contributions to the nation. He said this programme motivates people across all walks of life and serves as a guiding light for future generations. Senior leaders also distributed Ayushman Bharat health cards to eligible beneficiaries. On this occasion, Saini, along with JP Nadda and Rao Narbir Singh, also planted saplings under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign by planting saplings along the Badshahpur Drain forest corridor near Vatika Chowk. Urging citizens to participate, the chief minister called upon people to plant and nurture a tree in their mother's name, promoting environmental awareness and climate action. Several MLAs, senior officials, and BJP leaders were also present at the event.

Mandating Hindi and secularism debate may boomerang on BJP
Mandating Hindi and secularism debate may boomerang on BJP

Hans India

time29 minutes ago

  • Hans India

Mandating Hindi and secularism debate may boomerang on BJP

The recent moves by the saffron dispensation, making Hindi mandatory as the third language from Classes 1 to 5 in Maharashtra and questioning the words 'socialism' and 'secularism' in the Preamble to the Indian Constitution, are unfortunate. Driven by ideological zeal, the moves are unlikely to benefit either the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the nation as a whole. Instead, they risk further polarising of an already fractured political landscape and diverting national attention from pressing developmental challenges. The decision to enforce Hindi as a mandatory third language in a state with a rich linguistic heritage and a strong Marathi identity has raised eyebrows. India is a diverse, multilingual country where language has always been a sensitive issue. The attempt to impose Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking states has historically been met with fierce resistance, as witnessed during the anti-Hindi agitations in Tamil Nadu in the 1960s and also Karnataka. Such moves are often perceived as efforts to impose cultural hegemony rather than promote national unity. Language in India is deeply intertwined with identity, and the compulsion to learn Hindi, especially in regions with their dominant languages, is viewed as an encroachment on local cultures and traditions. While promoting Hindi as a link language is understandable in a country with numerous regional tongues, making it mandatory at the primary education level risks alienating large sections of the population. Simultaneously, the move to question the inclusion of 'socialism' and 'secularism' in the Preamble to the Constitution opens another front of ideological conflict. These words were added to the Preamble during the 42nd Amendment in 1976. While it is valid to debate constitutional provisions in a healthy democracy, the timing and tone of this scrutiny suggest a larger effort to recalibrate the foundational ethos of the Republic in line with a narrow ideological vision. Secularism is ingrained in Indian ethos, serving as a guiding principle for policy-making and governance. Questioning these principles risks unsettling the delicate balance that holds together India's immensely diverse social fabric. The inclusion of socialism in the Preamble is problematic, indeed against the spirit of the Constitution, because technically it prohibits anti-socialist parties. But then, the Preamble has never posed a problem to the formulation and execution of post-liberalisation policies, which were often anti-socialist. So, the Sangh Parivar's aversion to the two words is pointless. Such ideological pursuits risk shifting focus away from the real, tangible issues facing the nation—unemployment, inflation, agrarian distress, public healthcare, education quality, environmental degradation, and growing economic inequalities. Instead of addressing these pressing concerns, the political discourse is increasingly consumed by symbolic and divisive debates that offer little substantive improvement to citizens' everyday lives. Worse, these aggressive ideological moves don't even serve the BJP's political interests. In fact, they can do the opposite; for instance, estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have reportedly agreed to join hands to oppose this decision. A doctrinaire approach may please the party's cadre and ideological purists, but it will alienate moderate voters and regional allies, potentially undermining its broader electoral appeal. India's electorate, particularly the youth, is increasingly aspirational and impatient with distractions that do not improve their economic prospects or social mobility. While ideological debates are an intrinsic part of a vibrant democracy, the saffron dispensation's current trajectory risks deepening divisions and sidelining essential developmental issues.

Complaint filed against RSS general secretary Hosabale over Preamble remarks
Complaint filed against RSS general secretary Hosabale over Preamble remarks

Hindustan Times

timean hour ago

  • Hindustan Times

Complaint filed against RSS general secretary Hosabale over Preamble remarks

A police complaint has been filed against Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, accusing him of making 'unconstitutional, inflammatory and divisive' comments and seeking legal action against him. RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale stoked a political controversy last week over his comments on the Preamble of the Constitution (PTI) The complaint, filed by members of the Karnataka legal cell of the Indian Youth Congress, said that Hosabale's recent comments seeking to remove the terms 'socialist' and 'secular' from the Preamble of the Indian Constitution were an 'attack on the constitutional ethos' and an 'incitement against the nation's founding values'. The complaint was filed at the Seshadripuram Police Station in Bengaluru on Sunday. While the police acknowledged the receipt of the complaint, no FIR was filed till the time of going to print. 'I am filing this complaint in the interest of protecting the sanctity of the Constitution of India and preserving public order and constitutional values as a dutiful citizen of India,' the complainant, Shreedhar MM, a representative of the Youth Congress, said. 'These remarks are not just ideational commentary. They are deliberate, provocative, and dangerous.' The complaint said that Hosabale's speech violated several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and amounted to 'an attempt to marginalize religious communities and promote disharmony'. 'These are not protected political speech,' the complainant wrote. 'They are an incitement to constitutional subversion and fall within the purview of cognizable criminal offenses.' The RSS leader stoked a political controversy last week, when, speaking at an event in Delhi on Thursday, he said, 'During the Emergency, two words, secular and socialist, were added to the Constitution, which were not part of the original Preamble. Later, these words were not removed. Should they remain or not… a debate must happen on this. These two words were not in Dr Ambedkar's Constitution. During the Emergency, the country had no functioning Parliament, no rights, no judiciary and yet these two words were added.' The changes were among those made in the contentious 42nd Amendment, passed in 1976. Citing his speech, the Congress workers sought legal action against Hosabale. 'Such attempts to publicly erode constitutional values must be treated with utmost seriousness and urgency,' the complainant added. 'A clear message must be sent that no one is above the Constitution.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store