Language Politics Stirred by Historic Monarch's Legacy
Sanjay Gaikwad invoked Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj's multilingual prowess to critique Uddhav and Raj Thackeray's stance against Hindi. The Thackeray cousins' rally in Mumbai celebrated their victory in halting new language policies. Gaikwad argues for embracing language diversity to combat linguistic politics.
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Sanjay Gaikwad, an MLA from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, has sparked debates by referencing the linguistic prowess of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Gaikwad criticised Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, who oppose the imposition of Hindi and advocate for Marathi-centric policies in Maharashtra.
In a rare joint rally in Mumbai, the Thackeray cousins announced their triumph in reversing government resolutions linked to the three-language policy under NEP 2020. They pledged continued resistance against any measures that might elevate Hindi over Marathi in the state's educational system.
Gaikwad, defending multilingual education, asked, "Was Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj a fool to learn 16 languages?" Emphasizing the need for linguistic diversity, he insists that engaging in politics over language is inappropriate and suggesting that learning languages like Urdu could be a measure against terrorism.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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