Mumbai, Jan 02: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday asserted that only Marathi is compulsory in Maharashtra and that no other language will be imposed on students.
Clarification on language debate
Speaking at the inauguration of the 99th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan at Satara, Fadnavis said the ongoing debate on language compulsion needed clarity and balance. While Marathi alone was mandatory in the state, students were free to learn any Indian language, he said.
“There were differing views on the three-language formula. The only issue was from which standard the third language should be introduced,” Fadnavis said.
Hindi proposal withdrawn after protests
Last year, the BJP-led government revoked its decision to introduce Hindi as a compulsory third language from Class I after widespread protests and constituted a committee to examine the issue. Fadnavis said a report prepared during the earlier MVA government had recommended making Hindi compulsory from the first standard, and his government had initially pursued that proposal.
“However, there was intense debate and opposition to introducing the language from Class I. Therefore, a committee headed by Narendra Jadhav has been constituted,” he said, adding that the report was in its final stages and the government would take an appropriate decision after its submission.
Respect for Indian languages
He also cautioned against opposing Indian languages while readily embracing foreign ones. “We roll out the red carpet for languages such as English, French and Spanish because they are international languages. But it is inappropriate to welcome international languages while opposing Indian languages,” he said.
Reference to Emergency-era Sahitya Sammelan
The chief minister also recalled the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held at Satara during the Emergency, presided over by noted writer and scholar Durga Bhagwat. A resolution condemning the Emergency had been passed then, he noted.
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“She had said that binding literature with rules is not only laughable but dangerous. That statement became a headline,” Fadnavis said. “As long as freedom of thought, expression, literature and counter-thought is preserved, no harm will come. No matter how often someone claims the Constitution is in danger, it is extremely strong and the freedoms guaranteed by it will always remain intact.”
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