Three-language row: MNS defaces Hindi textbooks at Balbharti; Sena (UBT), AAP oppose policy

Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers tore Hindi textbooks and defaced them with ink at Maharashtra state publisher Balbharti's building on Wednesday to protest against the three-language policy in primary education. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) units in Pune also put out statements against the policy.
A Government Resolution (GR) issued June 17 by the state government amended a previous GR that made Hindi the compulsory third-language in the state board for classes 1 to 5. According to the new amendment, students can choose Hindi or any other Indian language as their third-language as well. However, political parties and literary organisations like the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad have expressed their opposition to this policy, saying that it introduces Hindi as a compulsory subject in a backhanded way.
Protesting at Balbharti, MNS city president Dhananjay Dalvi said, 'This is an anti-Marathi move by the Maharashtra government and we can't accept it. The government is lying that it has not made Hindi compulsory. If you go to schools, this Hindi textbook by Balbharti is being published and distributed among students. The students are being taught Hindi. We will not let any Hindi textbooks published at Balbharti be distributed among students.'
MNS workers raised slogans against the Maharashtra government and 'Hindi imposition' at the entrance of the Balbharti building. After marching towards the printing house, they shredded Hindi language textbooks of Balbharti and defaced them with black ink.
Also opposing the three-language formula, Kalpesh Yadav, joint secretary of the UBT's Youth Sena, said, 'Why is the Mahayuti government so obsessed with Hindi? The Education Minister has announced the implementation of the CBSE pattern in Maharashtra. But it is clear that he has not understood CBSE's language policy… now the Education Department has issued an ordinance that students can take Hindi if they want to learn it.'
He remarked, 'If the number of students who want to take other subjects instead of Hindi is 20, a teacher will be provided for teaching or the relevant language will be taught online… This is misleading and an attempt is being made to impose Hindi on Marathi people. I publicly condemn this ordinance of the government. Also, CBSE gives only two language options. Still, why insist on Hindi? If more than 20 children want to learn Marathi, will it be taught in Baroda, Indore and some other cities? Hindi lover Education Minister Dada Bhuse should answer.'
Mukund Kirdat, spokesperson for the AAP said, 'Since the beginning, the Aam Aadmi Party has strongly demanded that the three-language formula should not be implemented from Class 1. But even after that, the order to teach three languages has been issued from Class 1 and Hindi will have to be accepted by Marathi people… Although it is necessary to adopt the three-language formula as per the new education policy, there is no insistence to implement it from Class 1.'
He added, 'Despite this, the coalition government in Maharashtra had issued an order that Hindi language is mandatory. Now it has removed the word 'mandatory', and has made a verbal deception that Hindi will be the third language 'in general'…The administrative lobby in the education department and the North Indian Hindi speaking leaders in the BJP are responsible for this. This is a conspiracy of the cow belt to take over Maharashtra.'
Soham is a Correspondent with the Indian Express in Pune.
A journalism graduate, he was a fact-checker before joining the Express. Soham currently covers education and is also interested in civic issues, health, human rights, and politics. ... Read More

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