Describing it as a significant issue, Thackeray mentioned he has already sent two letters to the state government voicing his objections. He reinforced that Hindi is not the national language of India but rather a language specific to a region. “Why should Marathi children be obligated to learn Hindi from the first grade?” he questioned.
He stressed that Maharashtra has always honored all languages and communities, but that should not lead to the marginalization of Marathi. “We have nothing against Hindi, but we cannot accept its imposition. If the government is attempting to create divides based on language, they need to halt this immediately,” he stated.
Thackeray queried whether similar imposition of Hindi is taking place in other states. “Such rules do not exist in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, or even Gujarat. In Gujarat, there’s a government directive that mandates Gujarati and English from Class 1 — not Hindi. Why is this pressure only in Maharashtra?” he inquired.
He also criticized the central government for its inaction on the issue. “Even in the home states of Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah, Hindi is not compulsory in schools. So why impose it in Maharashtra?” he asked. He pointed to a group of IAS officers whom he believes are behind this initiative. “There is a formidable IAS lobby trying to enforce Hindi in Maharashtra. I possess names of those involved,” he asserted, although he refrained from disclosing any names during the press conference.
He accused the government of attempting to implement the policy surreptitiously, without public input. “They are producing Hindi textbooks and gearing up to roll this out quietly. Let me be clear — if this occurs, it will be seen as a betrayal of Maharashtra. We will resist it with full vigor,” he warned.
Thackeray also urged writers, artists, and the community to voice their opposition to this move. “If we stay silent now, our language and culture will be at risk. Every school, every parent should stand against this,” he urged. Additionally, he informed the media that he had sent a letter to all schools in Maharashtra, instructing them not to teach Hindi starting from the first grade. He also stated that his party members will be visiting schools to monitor which institutions are teaching Hindi to first-grade students.
Thackeray challenged the government, asserting, “If they think this is a trivial matter, they are wrong. The Marathi people will not remain silent. We will strive to safeguard our identity and language.” This controversy has intensified scrutiny on the state government, as political parties and citizens engage in discussions about the future of language policy in Maharashtra’s educational system.
