Latest news with #GRs
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
July 5 protest march to go ahead as victory rally: Uddhav
Mumbai: After the state government announced its decision to scrap the two government resolutions (GRs) on introducing Hindi in schools from class 1, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said the protest rally planned on July 5 in conjunction with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) would be turned into a victory rally. He urged his cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray and other opposition parties and civil society groups opposing the move to introduce Hindi in schools to participate in the rally. Before the government announced the decision to scrap the GRs, organisations working for the cause of the Marathi language burnt copies of the GRs at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai (Hindustan Times) The Thackeray cousins' decision to hold a joint protest rally in Mumbai on July 5 was seen as a politically significant development ahead of the local body polls scheduled later this year as they were supposed to come together publicly after nearly two decades. The rally was garnering visible response from people as well as opposition parties, which staged a notional protest on Sunday by burning copies of the GRs issued by the government. Addressing the media after Fadnavis announced that the GRs had been scrapped, Uddhav Thackeray said the issue had awakened the Marathi. 'I am proud of the power of the Marathi people which defeated the government's agenda. This again shows what the people can do when they come together,' the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said. The protest rally planned on July 5 would be converted into a celebration rally, he declared, saying the time and format of the programme would be announced after discussions with all the concerned people. 'The unity of Marathi people should not be allowed to break once again. I am requesting the Marathi Bhasha Samiti, the MNS and others to participate in the programme on July 5,' Thackeray said. When asked if he and Raj Thackeray could come together in the near future, Uddhav responded saying, 'I am repeating it again that instead of coming together during a crisis, if we remain united, crisis will not come.' MNS chief Raj Thackeray too said that their unity had forced the state government to change its decision and hoped the unity would hold, although he did not respond to Uddhav's invitation to join the celebratory rally on July 5. 'The attempt to force Hindi in Maharashtra has now finally been defeated, and for this, congratulations are due to all the people of Maharashtra… Perhaps the government was intimidated by this unity and that's a good thing, they should be afraid,' Raj Thackeray said in a post on social media platform X. He also said further attempts to make Hindi compulsory in schools would not be tolerated. 'The government has once again appointed a new committee. Let me say this clearly, whether the committee's report comes out or not, such actions will no longer be tolerated. The government must etch this fact permanently into their mind,' he warned. NCP (SP) too referred to the scrapping of the GRs as a victory of the Marathi people. 'The decision mandating Hindi has been scrapped. This is the strength of Marathi people. It is also the victory of Marathi people,' state NCP (SP) chief Jayant Patil said in a post on X. The party has not responded to Uddhav's invitation to join the victory rally on July 5. Before the government announced the decision to scrap the GRs, organisations working for the cause of the Marathi language burnt copies of the GRs at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. Opposition leaders including Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshavardhan Sakpal, MNS leader Nitin Sardesai and leaders from Left parties participated in the protest. 'Today, we have burnt the GR to ashes. If they still want to force Hindi on us, we will see how to deal with it,' Uddhav was quoted saying while leaving the venue.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Govt scraps GRs on 3-language policy in schools amid pressure from allies, people
Mumbai: Days after the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and his estranged cousin Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray announced that they would stage a massive protest on July 5 against the state government's move to introduce Hindi as the third language in schools from class 1, the government on Monday scrapped the decision. It also announced the formation of a committee under former Mumbai University vice-chancellor and Planning Commission member Narendra Jadhav to recommend steps for implementation of the three-language formula in schools as per the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis addressed the media at the Sahyadri state guest house. (Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) Addressing the media on Monday on the eve of the state legislature's monsoon session, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the two government resolutions (GR) on introducing Hindi as the third language, issued on April 16 and June 17, had been scrapped. 'The decision has not been taken under pressure, but because policies of the state government are aimed at safeguarding the interests of students,' Fadnavis said. The committee headed by Jadhav will have members from the field of education and it will submit its report within three months after studying the report of Raghunath Mashelkar committee, the chief minister said. The Mahayuti government's U-turn on the contentious language policy came amid uproar among Marathi-speaking people in the state and pressure from its partners in the ruling alliance, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena. The decision to scrap the two GRs was taken during a separate meeting held after the cabinet meeting on Sunday, sources told Hindustan Times. During the meeting which lasted around 20 minutes, Shiv Sena ministers Sajay Shirsat and Dada Bhuse said the government should rethink the decision as public sentiment was completely against it, the sources said. The move may mar the ruling alliance's prospects in the ensuing local body polls, the sources quoted them saying. Shiv Sena chief and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde said though they had been following the 'alliance dharma', Marathi pride was the soul of their party and they could not support the decision, the sources added. Shinde's counterpart, deputy chief minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, had already opposed the decision, saying Hindi should be introduced from class 5. Fadnavis agreed to withdraw the GRs taking the sentiments of the two parties into consideration. Before announcing the decision to scrap the GRs, he said the move to introduce Hindi as a compulsory third language in schools was taken by the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government headed by Uddhav Thackeray. 'The MVA government accepted the three-language formula on September 21, 2020 and a GR to that effect was issued on October 16, 2020. The government then constituted a committee under Raghunath Mashelkar which recommended that Hindi and English be made compulsory in schools.' Fadnavis said. The 18-member committee, which included Shiv Sena (UBT) deputy leader Vijay Kadam, submitted its 101-page report on September 12, 2021 and the state cabinet under Thackeray accepted its recommendations on January 7, 2022, Fadnavis said, displaying a copy of the minutes of the cabinet meeting. 'The Mashelkar committee had recommended that Hindi be made compulsory in schools as it would help students excel in education and professional life,' Fadnavis said. The Mahayuti government issued the two GRs in April and June in pursuance with work done by a panel appointed by the MVA government to implement the Mashelkar committee report. 'We changed the decision to make Hindi mandatory and made it optional,' he noted. Students from Maharashtra would lose academic credits on account of not studying Hindi in school, placing them at a disadvantage compared to students from Gujarat or other states, the chief minister said. Minutes after the announcement by the state government, the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) said the protest march scheduled on July 5 had been cancelled. 'The decision taken by the government is due to pressure from the Marathi people who had decided to take out a huge protest march,' Uddhav Thackeray said in response to the government scrapping the GRs. Though the protest march was cancelled, Shiv Sena (UBT) would celebrate the victory by holding a victory rally on July 5, Uddhav Thackeray said, inviting the MNS and other opposition parties to join the rally. MNS chief Raj Thackeray said, 'A new committee has now been constituted. But the Mahayuti government must bear in mind that irrespective of the committee's report, we will not let this (introduction of Hindi from class 1) happen again in Maharashtra.' When Fadnavis was asked about the possibility of Uddhav and Raj Thackeray joining hands for the rally on July 5, he said they only wanted to politicise the issue and their coming together would not have much impact. 'If the two Thackerays are coming together, I wish them good luck,' he said. Deepak Pawar from the Marathi Abhyas Kendra, a civil society group leading efforts to stall the imposition of Hindi in schools, strongly criticised the government's decision to appoint a fresh committee. 'Neither the NEP, nor the state education plan mentions any requirement for a third language,' Pawar said. He also raised concerns about Jadhav heading the committee, saying it was inappropriate to appoint someone who was not an expert in child education to decide on such a crucial issue. The government set up the committee with the sole intention of getting a report that aligns with its predetermined agenda, he alleged.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal welcomes rollback of GRs making Hindi mandatory from class 1
The Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal has welcomed the Maharashtra government's decision to withdraw two controversial Government Resolutions (GRs) that made Hindi or other Indian languages compulsory from Class 1 in schools across the state. The decision was announced by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, following sustained opposition from political parties and language advocacy groups. The GRs had sparked sharp criticism from writers, educators, and civil society groups. (HT) Milind Joshi, president of the Mahamandal, said the rollback was a much-needed correction in favour of Maharashtra's linguistic and cultural interests. 'This is a decision in the interest of Maharashtra and its students. We wholeheartedly congratulate the Chief Minister and the government for withdrawing the GRs,' Joshi said. The Mahamandal had been protesting against the two GRs issued by the state's school education department earlier this year. These GRs, issued in the name of promoting multilingualism, made it mandatory for schools to learn Hindi or any other Indian language from Class 1, sparking concerns among Marathi language advocates who saw it as an encroachment on the primacy of Marathi in the state's curriculum. He also pointed out that it was Fadnavis himself who had played a key role in making the teaching of Marathi compulsory in all schools in the state. 'We hope he continues to take decisions that protect the rights of Marathi-speaking students and strengthen the use of Marathi in public life,' he added. The GRs had sparked sharp criticism from writers, educators, and civil society groups, who argued that such a policy would disadvantage Marathi students and medium, and was out of sync with the state's linguistic identity. In recent months, the Mahamandal had issued public statements, written to education department officials, and participated in awareness campaigns highlighting the implications of the GRs. Following the rollback, several educationists and parent groups have also voiced support for the decision, calling it a welcome step toward preserving the balance in the state's multilingual education framework. 'We welcome the government's decision to withdraw both GRs instead of just amending the clause that made Hindi or any third language compulsory from Classes 1 to 5, as demanded unanimously across Maharashtra,' said Sripad Bhalchandra Joshi, former president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal and convenor of Marathichya Vyapak Hitasaathi (Movement for the Larger Interests of Marathi). However, Joshi cautioned that there is a real danger the government will now attempt to push the same idea—of making a third language compulsory—through committees filled only with hand-picked 'experts' from within the ruling political fold.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Three-language policy implemented in Maha in haste, chaos lead to revocation: Educators
Pune: Several educators in the state on Sunday reiterated that govt's decision on the three-language policy announced earlier in June was taken in haste and without consultation with experts, leading to complete chaos that resulted in the resolution being revoked. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Many asserted that the widespread opposition to the policy was not against the Hindi language, but its introduction from Std I. On Sunday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the formation of a committee to suggest the way forward in the implementation of the language policy and withdrew GRs issued in April and June this year, which had introduced Hindi learning as a must from a much younger age in school. In a reaction statement, the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal said, "There is hope he (Fadnavis) will continue to take decisions in the interest of Marathi in future, too." Mahendra Ganpule, former vice president, State Headmasters' Association, said, "There is no ill feeling against the third language or Hindi. But there was opposition to the wrong policy of implementing it from Std I without considering child psychology. We will present all our points in detail again before the committee and try to ensure that the right decision is taken in the interest of children." The parent of a Std III student from Kothrud, Shilpa Kulkarni, said Sunday's decision has put an end to ongoing confusion. "After schools resumed for the new academic year, we have only been discussing this issue. It was very difficult to handle the confusion and explain to our children whether the language subject has been incorporated. Now, we have clarity." The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and AAP Paalak Union issued a statement, saying, "There was no logical reason behind the insistence on imposing a third language in Std I when children already have the burden of English besides their mother tongue. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Govt issued this order surreptitiously through wordplay, without any insistence from parents or teachers. The public sentiment was that this was politics to undermine Marathi, the mother tongue in Maharashtra, by giving it secondary status and bringing Hindi forward as a transactional language, thus attacking diversity. " AAP's Mukund Kirdat said, "There was no reason to change the existing three-language formula starting at the secondary level. The opposition was not against Hindi or a third language but against its implementation from Std I." Chief coordinator of Shikshan Vikas Manch, Madhav Suryawanshi, said, "While CM has announced cancellation of the GR, considering past experience, we cannot trust this declaration till a notification is issued. Earlier, despite CM and the education minister publicly stating that three languages would not be made compulsory from Std I, govt still implemented the same decision. Until an order is issued stating that the decision stands cancelled, govt's stance cannot be trusted. Govt should issue that order." Pune: Several educators in the state on Sunday reiterated that govt's decision on the three-language policy announced earlier in June was taken in haste and without consultation with experts, leading to complete chaos that resulted in the resolution being revoked. Many asserted that the widespread opposition to the policy was not against the Hindi language, but its introduction from Std I. On Sunday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the formation of a committee to suggest the way forward in the implementation of the language policy and withdrew GRs issued in April and June this year, which had introduced Hindi learning as a must from a much younger age in school. In a reaction statement, the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal said, "There is hope he (Fadnavis) will continue to take decisions in the interest of Marathi in future, too." Mahendra Ganpule, former vice president, State Headmasters' Association, said, "There is no ill feeling against the third language or Hindi. But there was opposition to the wrong policy of implementing it from Std I without considering child psychology. We will present all our points in detail again before the committee and try to ensure that the right decision is taken in the interest of children." The parent of a Std III student from Kothrud, Shilpa Kulkarni, said Sunday's decision has put an end to ongoing confusion. "After schools resumed for the new academic year, we have only been discussing this issue. It was very difficult to handle the confusion and explain to our children whether the language subject has been incorporated. Now, we have clarity." The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and AAP Paalak Union issued a statement, saying, "There was no logical reason behind the insistence on imposing a third language in Std I when children already have the burden of English besides their mother tongue. Govt issued this order surreptitiously through wordplay, without any insistence from parents or teachers. The public sentiment was that this was politics to undermine Marathi, the mother tongue in Maharashtra, by giving it secondary status and bringing Hindi forward as a transactional language, thus attacking diversity. " AAP's Mukund Kirdat said, "There was no reason to change the existing three-language formula starting at the secondary level. The opposition was not against Hindi or a third language but against its implementation from Std I." Chief coordinator of Shikshan Vikas Manch, Madhav Suryawanshi, said, "While CM has announced cancellation of the GR, considering past experience, we cannot trust this declaration till a notification is issued. Earlier, despite CM and the education minister publicly stating that three languages would not be made compulsory from Std I, govt still implemented the same decision. Until an order is issued stating that the decision stands cancelled, govt's stance cannot be trusted. Govt should issue that order."
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Maharashtra scraps order making Hindi 3rd language in schools
Uddhav and Aaditya burn the govt resolution on Hindi language Sunday 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.
