Protectors of Marathi must come together to fight against 3-language formula: Prakash Mahajan

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jun 24 (PTI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Prakash Mahajan on Tuesday said if protectors of the Marathi language fight together against the compulsion of Hindi under the government's three-language formula, the results would be different.

A language row has erupted in Maharashtra after the state government last week issued an amended order, stating Hindi will generally be taught as the third language to students in Marathi and English medium schools from Classes 1 to 5.

The government had maintained that Hindi would not be made compulsory but mandated consent of at least 20 students per grade in a school for studying any Indian language other than Hindi.

Mahajan, elder brother of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, said, "If leaders who think they are protectors of the Marathi language make a single mistake, history will make a note of it. If these protectors (Shiv Sena UBT and MNS) come together and fight against Hindi compulsion, the results will be different. We keep fighting amongst ourselves, and this is what the enemy wants." He claimed that the Marathi manus is a little agonised.

"People who think that we should do something for the (Marathi) language are looking helplessly at the war of words that is taking place. If we have enmity amongst us with trouble at the doorstep, who will protect the language and the Marathi people?" the MNS leader said.

On the possibility of an alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT), Mahajan pointed out that while senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar visited Uddhav Thackeray's residence, Matoshree, no one from the other party had come to meet Raj Thackeray.

"Someone should break the deadlock and go ahead with the talks about an alliance," he said.

Mahajan also criticised parties in the ruling alliance, accusing them of stooping to any level to come to power. PTI AW ARU