NEW DELHI: Maharashtra government on Sunday nixed the government order on the implementation of the three-language policy amid opposition’s allegations of “imposing” Hindi language on the students of the state.During a press conference, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also announced the formation of a committee under educationist Dr Narendra Jadhav to suggest the way forward and implementation of the language policy.The panel has sought three months to study the issue and prepare a report.
“The state cabinet has decided to withdraw the Government Resolutions (GR) issued in April and June regarding the implementation of the three-language policy from class one. A committee headed by Dr Narendra Jadhav will be formed to recommend implementation (of the three-language formula),” Fadnavis said.He said the government will take a fresh decision based on the report of Dr Jadhav, a former member of the Planning Commission and ex-Vice Chancellor.“The other names of the committee will be announced in some days. The panel will study the Mashelkar Committee’s report and suggest from which standard (class 1 or otherwise) the three language formula will be implemented,” he said.“The decision (on language policy) has been taken in the interest of Marathi students. If three languages are taught, students will get credit in the academic bank,” he added.The Fadnavis government had issued a GR on April 16, making Hindi a compulsory third language for students in classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi medium schools. Amid backlash, the government issued an amended GR on June 17 making Hindi an optional language.This comes after the opposition – Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, and NCP (SP)- dubbed the move as “imposition” of Hindi in Maharashtra.Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS had announced a joint march on July 5 to oppose the “imposition” of the Hindi language. The march was cancelled after the government withdrew the GRs.Accusing Uddhav Thackeray of playing politics over the language issue, Fadnavis said the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief was opposing the Hindi language as he wants to “lay red carpet for the English language”.Fadnavis said the Mahayuti government headed by him issued the two GRs in April and June as part of the sub-group set up by the then Thackeray-led MVA government.“We changed the decision to make the Hindi language mandatory and made it optional,” he added.Fadnavis said the then CM Thackeray had appointed an 18-member Mashelkar Committee on September 21, 2020, comprising reputed figures from the education sector, on how to implement the NEP. A GR was issued on October 16, 2020.“The committee submitted a 101-page report on September 14, 2021. The panel stated that apart from the Marathi language, English and Hindi languages should be taught in classes 1 to 12. The report was tabled in the state cabinet on January 7, 2022. The minutes of the cabinet meeting are available,” he said.He claimed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vijay Kadam, who runs an educational institution, was a member of the Mashelkar committee.Fadnavis also claimed Uddhav didn’t mention that his government disagreed with the Mashelkar committee’s report.“At that time, Uddhav didn’t say that his government was not accepting the three-language formula. The then government set up a sub-group on the Mashelkar Committee’s report,” he added.“Any Indian who doesn’t accept this proposal as part and parcel of a linguistic state has no right to be an Indian. He may be 100 per cent Maharashtrian, 100 per cent Gujarati, and 100 per cent Tamil, but he cannot be an Indian in the real sense of the word, except in geographical sense. If my suggestion is not accepted, India will then cease to be India,” he said quoting Ambedkar from “Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar: writings and speeches”.‘Lost to Marathi Manoos’While addressing a press conference, Uddhav said that Devendra Fadnavis government attempted to break the unity of the Marathi manoos and create a divide between Marathis and non-Marathis.“The decision to impose Hindi under the guise of a three-language policy from Class 1 has finally been withdrawn. The government has cancelled the two GRs (Government Resolutions) related to this. This cannot be called wisdom that came late, because this imposition was withdrawn solely due to the strong resistance from the Marathi people. Why the government was so insistent on pushing Hindi and from where exactly this pressure was coming still remains a mystery,” Uddhav said.“But the attempt to enforce the learning of Hindi by students in Maharashtra through the three-language formula has finally been defeated, and for that, congratulations to all the people of Maharashtra. The government lost to the power of Marathi manoos. The government did not realise Marathi manoos will unite in this manner. Let this passionate resolve grow stronger, and let the Marathi language become a language of knowledge and global discourse — that is the real aspiration,” he added.The Fadnavis government had issued a GR on April 16, making Hindi a compulsory third language for students in classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi medium schools. Amid backlash, the government issued an amended GR on June 17 making Hindi an optional language.
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