New Delhi: The Shiv Sena led Maha Vikas Aghadi government expects that the Centre will soon announce the classical language status to Marathi as it has accepted the state government’s report in this regard. The Centre is in the midst of completing the necessary process to accord the classical language status to Marathi. This was revealed by the Maharashtra Minister of Marathi Language after his meeting with the Union Minister of Cultural Affairs Kishan Reddy on Monday in Delhi.
Desai said he has urged Reddy to make a formal announcement in this regard on February 27 which is the birth anniversary of Jnanpith Award winner Kusumagraj (Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar) celebrated as Marathi Language Day in the state.
‘’The Union Minister has confirmed that all the criteria and conditions have been met for the Marathi language to get classical status. He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been in its favour. The Minister has assured that the Centre will soon take a decision,’’ said Desai who led a delegation today. He added that if the Centre announces the classical language status to Marathi on February 27 it will make 13 crore people of Maharashtra happy.
Desai’s move came days after the Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had sent a letter on a postcard to the President of India Ramnath Kovind with an appeal to accord the classical language status to Marathi. Pawar said although the Centre has taken a decision since 2004 to provide classical language status to various languages, the Marathi language has yet to get it despite repeated requests.
Pawar said a high-level committee comprising language experts appointed by the Centre had unanimously made recommendations but despite seven years having passed the decision is still awaited.
Earlier, the state legislature had unanimously passed a resolution last year recommending the Centre to accord classical language status to Marathi.
