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Amid the ongoing row over the Maharashtra government's decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said it is wrong to say that Hindi is being imposed, as Marathi will continue to be mandatory in the state.
Speaking to the media, Fadnavis said, "It is incorrect to say Hindi is being imposed as Marathi will remain mandatory in Maharashtra. I am often surprised that while we oppose an Indian language like Hindi, we praise and carry English on our shoulders. I find it curious why Indian languages feel distant to us while English feels closer. This is something that we need to think about." He further clarified that Hindi is not replacing Marathi. "The first thing to understand is that Hindi has not been made mandatory in place of Marathi; Marathi remains compulsory. However, the New Education Policy (NEP) offers an opportunity to learn three languages, and learning three languages is mandatory. According to the policy, two of these three languages must be Indian languages," he added. In line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Maharashtra government has made it compulsory for students in state board schools to learn Hindi as a third language from Class 1, alongside Marathi and English. Rahul Ashok Rekhawar, Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Maharashtra, said that the decision was taken by the School Education Department on April 16. Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Rekhawar said, "On behalf of the Maharashtra Government, the School Education Department has taken a decision in which teaching Hindi language along with Marathi and English has been made compulsory from Class 1 in all the schools of the state board. This decision has been made with all the appointments and their development in view, and the students will definitely benefit from it." He clarified that the decision is meant purely for educational reasons and is not linked to any political or community agenda. (ANI)
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