Three-language row sparks political heat in Maharashtra

Mumbai, Jul 2 (PTI): In the wake of the Maharashtra government's decision to retract orders on the three-language policy, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut firmly expressed that they would not endorse such a policy now or in the future.

Following significant opposition to the introduction of the Hindi language in Maharashtra schools from classes 1 to 5, the state cabinet reversed its decision by withdrawing two government orders related to the policy implementation.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has since announced the setup of a committee led by educationist Narendra Jadhav to chart out the future course concerning the language policy.

Addressing journalists, Raut commented, "Fadnavis is fond of establishing committees and SITs, but these lead nowhere." He remarked on the committee's lack of relevance, stating, "Jadhav is recognized as an esteemed economist, but the committee has no significance now. We will reject the three-language policy moving forward."

A 'Marathi Vijay Diwas' event, a joint effort by the Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), is scheduled for July 5 in Mumbai as a response to the GR withdrawal. According to Raut, discussions are ongoing between leaders from both groups.

"We've extended invitations to prominent figures and the public. The credit for the GR's cancellation belongs to the Marathi community. We are merely the facilitators. MNS chief Raj Thackeray and our leader Uddhav Thackeray have both been included in consultations," he related.

Raut mentioned the challenge of inviting everyone personally due to time constraints.

He criticized the Fadnavis administration for allegedly destabilizing the Shiv Sena and the NCP through financial incentives, intimidation, and leveraging the ED, CBI, and the Election Commission.

Additionally, he censured Prime Minister Narendra Modi's central government over its handling of the Pahalgam terror attack and its inability to conclusively prove Pakistan's involvement in terror incidents within India.

Raut highlighted a concerning statistic that over 1,000 farmers in Maharashtra have succumbed to suicide in the past three months and questioned if the prime minister is aware of this dire situation.

He also criticized the government's communication regarding the Ahmedabad plane crash.

When asked about the upcoming Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) meeting in Delhi and its potential impact on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Raut expressed, "The RSS and BJP share a fraternal relationship. If the RSS desires, it has the capability to impart crucial lessons to the BJP. The BJP's current strength arises from the efforts of RSS workers."

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)