Uddhav, Raj Thackeray to unite over ‘Hindi imposition’ in Maharashtra
text_fields
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut posted on X a photo of Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray standing in front of the portrait of Bal Thackeray, the founder of Shiv Sena.
Although it is not certain on what occasion the photo was taken, Raut on Thursday announced that the cousins, remaining estranged for long, are agreed to join forces to fight ‘imposition’ of Hindi in Maharashtra's school curriculum, according to NDTV.
Maharashtra will see Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray’s Navnirman Sena (MNS) taking out a joint march in Mumbai to oppose the three-language formula which sets Hindi as a mandatory third language for primary school students.
Raut told of the development in a post on X that came with the aforesaid image of two leaders with their patriarch, where he wrote: ‘A united march will take place against the imposition of Hindi in schools in Maharashtra. Jai Maharashtra!’
More than just fighting for the protection of the language, the cousins are reported to be making a strategic move ahead of the BMC elections.
Raj Thackeray’s MNS set the protest originally on July 6 but later put it off to July 5 having to avoid it coming in the way of Ashadhi Ekadashi, a religious day observed on July 6 in the state.
Raj Thackeray announced the changes in a post on social media, stating: ‘With warm regards, Jai Maharashtra. This morning, for our Marathi language, for Maharashtra, and for the Marathi people, a morcha was announced on July 6. There is a slight change in that plan; the morcha will now take place on Saturday, July 5, at 10 AM from Girgaum to Azad Maidan.’
Uddhav Thackeray, on the other hand, supported a march announced by the Tribhasha Sutra (Three language formula) Anti-Mumbai Coordination Committee and questioned the constitutional basis of the decision to ‘impose’ Hindi.
