Mumbai: The ongoing language debate in Maharashtra intensified as NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule raised strong concerns over Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis allegedly placing Hindi above Marathi. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Sule questioned the motive behind the government’s push for Hindi, asking, “Who is pressuring Devendra Ji? This is the first time a Chief Minister of Maharashtra is giving more importance to Hindi than Marathi.”
The controversy erupted after the state government recently issued and later revoked two government resolutions (GRs) related to a new three-language policy in schools. The initial GRs had made Hindi a compulsory third language for students in Classes 1 to 5. However, facing mounting backlash, CM Fadnavis announced the withdrawal of these decisions and stated that a committee would be formed to reassess the policy.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray responded sharply to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s alleged remark, “Marathi logon ko hum yahan pe patak-patak ke maarenge” (We will thrash the Marathi people here).
Thackeray, known for his vocal support of Marathi identity, fired back during a public address in Mumbai: “Let them come to Mumbai. We’ll drown them in the Arabian Sea. I won’t tolerate any insult to the Marathi language or people.”
Calling for unity and pride in the state’s language, he urged Maharashtrians to speak Marathi without hesitation. “Those living in Maharashtra must learn Marathi. In Karnataka, even a rickshaw driver knows that the government stands with him when it comes to language. Similarly, we must stand firm for Marathi,” Thackeray said.
He also took a dig at the government’s language policy, criticizing the push for Hindi in schools: “The Maharashtra CM wants to make Hindi mandatory, but Marathi should be the priority in our state.”
The controversy has sparked a broader political and cultural debate, highlighting tensions between promoting Hindi as a national language and preserving regional linguistic identity in Maharashtra.
