BJP trying to eradicate Marathi language and culture through Hindi imposition: Congress

Mumbai, Jun 18 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of trying to impose Hindi in Maharashtra through "deception" to eradicate the Marathi language and culture and vowed to oppose the move.

A major row erupted after the state government issued an order making Hindi "generally" the third language for students of Classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi medium schools.

The government, however, stressed that Hindi will not be mandatory.

"While there is no opposition to Hindi or any language, education experts have consistently emphasised that primary education should be imparted in the mother tongue. However, the BJP intends to use Hindi imposition as a means to eradicate the Marathi language and culture," Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged while speaking to reporters.

"This is a deliberate move by the BJP and the RSS, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is executing this plan," he alleged.

Sapkal claimed that strong protests by Congress in the past had forced the government to take a step back on the mandatory imposition of Hindi language.

"Fadnavis is adamant about enforcing Hindi as the medium of instruction from grade 1 in Maharashtra. The latest government resolution issued on June 17 uses deceptive wording to continue imposing Hindi. Simply changing words doesn't change this intent," he alleged.

Marathi is not just a language, it is our culture, the Congress leader asserted, accusing the BJP and the RSS of pushing their agenda to destroy the Marathi culture.

An amended government resolution (GR) order issued on Tuesday stated that Hindi will "generally" be the third language, instead of being mandatory. However, students can opt to study any other Indian language if 20 students per grade in a school express such desire.

Sapkal claimed Hindi is not being made compulsory from grade 1 in BJP-ruled Gujarat but Maharashtra is being forced to adopt Hindi.

"Fadnavis should ask Narendra Modi why Hindi is not enforced from the first grade in Gujarat," he said. PTI MR NSK