Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has also hit back at Modi government for imposing Hindi on the people of Maharashtra. Raj Thackeray’s party warned the Centre to not incite them.
MNS tweeted, “Hindi is not our mother tongue, do not enforce it on us and incite us.” It is remarkable that the HRD ministry has draft an education policy that proposes to introduce Hindi as a third language in all non-Hindi speaking states. Tamil Nadu was the first state to launch a protest against the draft National Education Policy. DMK is likely to pass a resolution against the move.
“हिंदी ही राष्ट्रभाषा नाही. उगाच ती लादून आमची माथी भडकावू नका.” – मनसे नेते अनिल शिदोरे#HindiImposition pic.twitter.com/wxja0RpCBT
— MNS Adhikrut (@mnsadhikrut) June 2, 2019
The centre has gifted an issue to marginalised opposition parties. The Maharashtra Assembly elections are due in October this year. Therefore, opposition parties will not leave any opportunity to attack the government and gain political mileage.
On the other hand, the Centre on Monday dropped the contentious provision of mandatory teaching of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states, as it issued a revised draft education policy amid outrage over its earlier suggestion.
“Students who wish to change one or more of the three languages they are studying may do so in Grade 6 or Grade 7, so long as they are able to still demonstrate proficiency in three languages (one language at the literature level) in their modular Board Examinations some time during secondary school,” the revised draft of the NEP said. In the earlier draft, the panel had suggested mandatory teaching of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states.
Earlier, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar made it clear that the committee had only prepared a draft report and no decision has been taken on implementing it. He said that no language should be imposed on anyone.
Meanwhile, former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has also slammed this move. Siddaramaiah tweeted, “New National Education Policy draft imposes Hindi in non Hindi states & this goes against our sentiments. If recognition of regional identity is inconsistent according to few then imposition of Hindi is nothing but a brutal assault on our States. Instead of imposing Hindi, the government should focus on recognising regional identities & give more space to the states to express & manifest their ideas through their own culture & language.”
New National Education Policy draft imposes Hindi in non Hindi states & this goes against our sentiments.
If recognition of regional identity is inconsistent according to few then imposition of Hindi is nothing but a brutal assault on our States.#StopHindiImposition
2/3— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) June 3, 2019
