Mumbai: The BJP-led Maharashtra government's efforts to convince the opposition on having Hindi as the third language for students have not borne fruits yet, underscoring the sensitivity of a matter that has naysayers within the state government itself.
On Thursday, Maharashtra education minister Dada Bhuse met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray to convince him to drop his opposition to Hindi being made the third language for students of the first to the fifth grade. Thackeray, however, said MNS would continue to oppose Hindi as the third language for primary school students.
"We explained to him how (Hindi) is important for children (from 1st to 5th). At present he is not agreeing to see it from our point of view. He was clear that he was opposed to Hindi being there as the third language. He has given some suggestions and we have taken note of it. We will inform the chief minister and deputy chief ministers on the discussions," said Bhuse after meeting Thackeray.
The MNS president not only said that his party would not allow Hindi to be made the third language but also announced a state-wide agitation against the state government move.
"Our opposition remains and would continue to remain for Hindi or any other language that would be introduced as the third language," said Raj Thackeray. "On July 5 we will take out a morcha from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan. The march will not be under any party flag--we are inviting all Marathi speaking parents, students, linguists, Marathi language writers, activists to be a part of this march to protest the state government move. The government should know what the people of the state think."
According to Raj, he would be speaking to all political party leaders to be a part of the march.
The state was also said to hold a dialogue with the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Sena faction.
However, Uddhav Thackeray announced that his Sena would also be holding a separate march on July 7 on the same issue.
On Thursday, Maharashtra education minister Dada Bhuse met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray to convince him to drop his opposition to Hindi being made the third language for students of the first to the fifth grade. Thackeray, however, said MNS would continue to oppose Hindi as the third language for primary school students.
"We explained to him how (Hindi) is important for children (from 1st to 5th). At present he is not agreeing to see it from our point of view. He was clear that he was opposed to Hindi being there as the third language. He has given some suggestions and we have taken note of it. We will inform the chief minister and deputy chief ministers on the discussions," said Bhuse after meeting Thackeray.
The MNS president not only said that his party would not allow Hindi to be made the third language but also announced a state-wide agitation against the state government move.
"Our opposition remains and would continue to remain for Hindi or any other language that would be introduced as the third language," said Raj Thackeray. "On July 5 we will take out a morcha from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan. The march will not be under any party flag--we are inviting all Marathi speaking parents, students, linguists, Marathi language writers, activists to be a part of this march to protest the state government move. The government should know what the people of the state think."
According to Raj, he would be speaking to all political party leaders to be a part of the march.
The state was also said to hold a dialogue with the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Sena faction.
However, Uddhav Thackeray announced that his Sena would also be holding a separate march on July 7 on the same issue.
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