Raj and uddhav thackeray reunion: A scene came out in the politics of Maharashtra, which eradicated the distance of the last two decades. Cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, who were walking on a different path for years, are now seen together on the same stage. It is not just a political meeting, but is being described as a historic turn in the battle of Marathi identity and cultural identity.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray told the forum, “The Chief Minister Fadnavis showed the one who could not do Bala Saheb Thackeray.” Raj Thackeray raised questions about the three-language policy and said, ‘Where did you bring this three language formula from? This has come only from the central government. Today everything goes on in English in the High Court and Supreme Court. This does not happen in any other state. Then why only in Maharashtra? What happens when Maharashtra wakes up. The statement came when both MNS and Shiv Sena (UTB) took credit that they forced the Maharashtra government led by Devendra Fadnavis to withdraw the decision to implement Hindi as the third compulsory language.
Why Raj and Uddhav Thackeray came together?
During the victory rally in Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray indicated an alliance in the upcoming local body elections with MNS, especially the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Uddhav said, ‘We have come together and will live together. Today, we are one on this platform and more important than our speeches. After the speech Raja gave, I do not need to say anything.
Earlier, Uddhav had pointed to a possible alliance with Raj Thackeray and said, ‘I am ready to come forward in the interest of Maharashtra. I have ended old quarrels. Maharashtra’s interest is my priority. Raj Thackeray also reiterated this spirit and said, ‘We are not difficult to come together. The distance between us is overshadowing the existence of Maharashtra and Marathi people.
Three-language policy dispute
The Fadnavis government issued a government proposal on 16 April (Government Resolution -GR), which said that Hindi would be made mandatory as a third language from first to fifth grade, whether students study in English medium or in Marathi. Both MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) opposed it since this announcement.
Uddhav Thackeray described it as an emergency announcement, while Raj Thackeray appealed to schools not to follow it, calling it the activity of imposing Hindi. After this strong opposition, the government had to withdraw this decision on 29 June. The government constituted a committee under the chairmanship of educationist Dr. Narendra Jadhav, which will review this policy in three months and report. This entire issue has now taken the form of “Marathi Asmita” and incidents of threatening Hindi speakers by some workers have also come to light.
Preparation for local body elections
Local body elections are going to be held soon in many municipal corporations of Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai. With the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT), the possibility of jointly stopping the BJP’s victory campaign has increased. Both parties are ‘natural allies’ as their political legacy is associated with Balasaheb Thackeray and Marathi Asmita has been their original ideology.
After the establishment of MNS in 2006, Raj Thackeray made North India an identity of his politics, while Uddhav Thackeray carried forward the issue of ‘Marathi Manush’. However, the performance of both parties was weak in the last assembly elections. But now the issue of imposing Hindi has given him an opportunity to burn Marathi pride again.
Recent demonstration in Maharashtra assembly elections
Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS suffered heavy losses in the last assembly elections. Shiv Sena (UBT) won only 20 seats out of 92 seats, while MNS, who contested alone, could not win one of the 135 seats. At the same time, Eknath Shinde, who separated from Shiv Sena and formed an alliance with BJP, won 57 seats and formed the government with BJP.
Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which included Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP, was in the hope of comeback but failed. Uddhav’s party got 20 seats, Congress 16 and Sharad Pawar’s NCP got only 10 seats. At the same time, the BJP -led Maha Yuti alliance won an overwhelming majority by winning 235 out of 288 seats.
What was Maharashtra’s three-language policy?
The Department of Education announced on 17 April that under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Hindi will be made a third compulsory language for students from first to fifth. This decision was going to be implemented in all Marathi and English medium schools. But after heavy protests, the rule was amended on 18 June.
According to the revised rule, Hindi default will be the third language, but if at least 20 students in the class demand for any other Indian language, then they will be allowed to choose that language. On 24 June, the government formed a revision committee and on June 30 (Sunday) withdrew both decisions.