'Maharashtra is bigger than politics': Uddhav and Raj Thackeray reunite after 20 years, oppose Hindi push in state

The show of unity, held at the Worli Dome, comes amidst rising opposition to the Maharashtra government's decision to introduce Hindi as the third language in schools by scrapping two key Government Resolutions (GRs).

In a powerful and symbolic reunion, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, on Saturday afternoon, stood shoulder to shoulder at a joint rally in Mumbai, marking their first public appearance together in nearly two decades.

The show of unity, held at the Worli Dome, comes amidst rising opposition to the Maharashtra government's decision to introduce Hindi as the third language in schools by scrapping two key Government Resolutions (GRs).

The rally, which drew a packed audience of supporters, was charged with emotion and political significance as the two estranged cousins embraced on stage, a gesture widely seen as a thawing of relations and a potential recalibration of regional politics in the state.

“We have come together to stay together,” Uddhav Thackeray declared, sparking thunderous applause.

His statement was less a political message and more a reclaiming of the shared legacy of their uncle, Balasaheb Thackeray.

Raj Thackeray, meanwhile, known for his uncompromising rhetoric, softened his tone but remained fiery in content. He lashed out at the government’s language policy, suggesting that the push for Hindi was part of a larger plan to dilute Maharashtra’s identity.

The MNS chief alleged that the Maharashtra government's now-scrapped three-language formula was the first step toward a broader plan to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra.

“This three-language formula was just a precursor. If we hadn’t opposed it, the next step would have been separating Mumbai from Maharashtra,” he warned.

Addressing the ‘victory rally’ titled ‘Awaj Marathicha’ in Mumbai, held to celebrate the government’s rollback of the GRs that mandated Hindi as a third language in state-run schools, Raj said the move was reversed only because of the strong and united stand taken by Marathi-speaking people.

He argued that the Hindi imposition was unjustified.

“Minister Dada Bhuse came to me and asked me to listen to his point. I told him I would listen, but I won’t be convinced. I asked, what third language will Uttar Pradesh or Bihar adopt? We’re ahead of all Hindi-speaking states, and yet we’re being forced to learn Hindi. Why?”

While clarifying that he has “nothing against Hindi,” Raj made it clear that linguistic pride must be protected. “Languages are not bad. They are built through years of effort. During the Maratha Empire, we ruled over many states but never imposed Marathi. Why impose Hindi on us now?”

He even took on the critics of English-medium education, stating, “Devendra Fadnavis studied in an English-medium school and became CM. My father, Shrikant Thackeray, and uncle Balasaheb also studied in English-medium schools. Did that make them love Marathi any less? Tomorrow I might learn Hebrew....will that make me less Marathi?”

On the other hand, Uddhav Thackeray, in his speech, kept it brief but impactful.

“Everyone was waiting for our speeches, but this stage, of Raj and me coming together....is more important than anything we could say today. Raj has already spoken superbly; there’s little left for me to add.”

Uddhav, however, didn’t hold back while addressing critics who have questioned his brand of Hindutva.

“When the BJP talks about ‘one Constitution, one symbol, and one Prime Minister’, they must remember that the one symbol is the tricolour, not their party flag,” Uddhav further remarked, adding sarcastically, “Their flag is just a piece of cloth used to clean utensils.”

Uddhav also accused the BJP of exploiting his party in the past.

“You’ve used us enough already. Without Balasaheb Thackeray’s support, who even knew the BJP in Maharashtra?” he asked.

“Who are you to teach us about Hindutva? When riots broke out in Mumbai, it was the Marathi people who saved every Hindu, no matter where they were from. If standing up for justice makes us ‘gundas’, then yes... we are ‘gundas’,” he said defiantly.

The rally at Worli Dome in Mumbai was held to mark the rollback of two GRs introducing Hindi as a third language in state-run schools. The event saw the participation of key leaders from across the opposition spectrum, including NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule, Jitendra Awhad, and party workers from both Sena (UBT) and MNS.