"Double-faced": Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde slams Sena-UBT amid language row

Eknath Shinde

Amid the ongoing debate over the Maharashtra government's alleged move to make Hindi compulsory across all classes, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde hit out at Shiv Sena (UBT), accusing the party of practising "double-faced" politics.

Shinde said that people who practise double-faced politics have no right to demand the resignation of Minister Dada Bhuse.

"The then Chief Minister of Maharashtra had made mandatory the teaching of three languages - Marathi, English, and Hindi, which was recommended by the Raghunath Mashelkar Committee... When they were in power, their opinion was different, and now that they are not in power, they are responding differently... The people who practise double-faced politics have no right to demand the resignation of Minister Dada Bhuse...Our government made Marathi mandatory in schools," Shinde told ANI.

This comes after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, in his attack on Maharashtra School Education Minister Dada Bhuse over the "imposition" of Hindi in the state schools, demanded his resignation.

Earlier, Thackeray had said that no language should be forced, emphasising that it would create an additional burden on the students.

Thackeray emphasised the need to improve existing educational frameworks rather than imposing additional language requirements.

"We demand that no language should be forced. What we have been learning so far should continue. Education should be enhanced, but no language should be forced. Why is it just Hindi? How much do you want to burden the children? Focus on what they are already studying; restructure it a little, make it better," he said.

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that while Hindi is widely spoken across the country, it should not be forced upon young students, especially at the primary level.

"My view is that Hindi should not be made compulsory in primary education. There is no issue with children learning Hindi after Class 5. But we must analyse how many languages a child of a certain age can realistically learn and what linguistic burden that places on them," Pawar said.

"If the pressure becomes too much and results in the mother tongue being sidelined, then that is not acceptable," he added.

Pawar emphasised that the state government must withdraw its insistence on imposing Hindi in early education.