Mumbai, Feb 26, 2026
Amid ongoing controversy surrounding the mandatory teaching of the Hindi language in primary schools in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday in the State Assembly that while the state values multilingualism, only the Marathi language will remain compulsory in the state’s educational framework.
In his reply to the debate on the Governor’s address, the Chief Minister shifted the focus toward the previous state administration.
He produced minutes from a Cabinet meeting dated January 20, 2022, claiming that the proposal to make Hindi and English compulsory from the first grade was actually a product of the Uddhav Thackeray-led state government.
“The recommendations of the Mashelkar Committee were approved under the previous Cabinet. Who signed off on those recommendations? I’ll let Aditya Thackeray answer that,” CM Fadnavis remarked, aiming a sharp critique at the Opposition.
He also alleged that it was the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Cabinet that originally accepted the recommendation to enforce Hindi and English as mandatory subjects from Class 1 till Class 12.
Chief Minister Fadnavis said that while his administration’s officials issued a government resolution based on that prior report, they never intended to enforce such a rigid mandate for Classes 1 to 12.
He also took a witty jab at the political alignment of the Thackeray brothers and Raj Thackeray on this issue.
“I am surprised that even Raj Thackeray sided with them on this. However, I am glad that I could be the reason the two brothers came together,” he added.
The Chief Minister sought to end all speculation regarding the state’s language policy.
“In our state, the only language that is compulsory is Marathi.”
The controversy stems from a government resolution issued on June 17, 2025, by the current Mahayuti government.
Citing the Central government’s New Education Policy (NEP), Maharashtra initially proposed a three-language formula.
This would have required all Marathi and English medium schools to teach Hindi as a third language from Class 1 to Class 5.
Following intense backlash from educators and pro-Marathi organisations, the current state government was forced to withdraw the decision and establish a specialised committee to review the report.
He dismissed claims that Marathi schools are shutting down as “fictional”.
Chief Minister Fadnavis said that 84 per cent of schools in Maharashtra remain Marathi medium, 69 per cent of students in the state are currently studying in Marathi, adding that the state government remains committed to giving priority to Marathi in higher education institutions.
On the upcoming Kumbh Mela in Nashik, the Chief Minister questioned the Opposition’s resistance to the Kumbh Mela, emphasising its potential for state branding.
Drawing parallels with the success of the Prayagraj Kumbh, CM Fadnavis noted that the investment in infrastructure — including road widening, airports, and ring roads — would boost both religious and general tourism.
“Maharashtra is the land of saints. We want to use the Kumbh Mela to brand the state globally,” he said.
The Chief Minister shared optimistic economic data, noting that the unemployment rate in 2025 stands at 3.1 per cent, a significant decrease from previous years.
On the legal front, Chief Minister Fadnavis took a firm stance on the recent Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) raids, including those involving Minister Narhari Zirwal’s office.
“The ACB raids will continue. They do not need anyone’s permission. Even if someone asks for money in my office, the ACB has the authority to take action. No one is above the law,” he asserted.(Agency)
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