'Proud of Hindi, no red carpet for English': Maha CM

Mumbai, July 1 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday declared that in Maharashtra, there is only one compulsion, which is Marathi, and the language must be learned.

Taking a dig at Shiv Sena UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief Minister said: “At the same time, we are proud of Hindi as well. We are proud of every language. But we will not tolerate anyone rolling out a red carpet for English and opposing Indian languages. A committee has been formed, and the idea is that we will take a decision (on trilingual formula) in the interest of the students of Maharashtra without succumbing to any pressure.”

He further criticised Thackeray, saying that after the BJP government came to power, the government changed the face of Mumbai, but the opposition “deported” the Marathi people out of Mumbai.

Fadnavis was speaking at the state BJP executive council meeting in which party working president Ravindra Chavan was elected unopposed as the Maharashtra president.

Fadnavis chose to target Uddhav Thackeray, who, along with estranged brother and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena founder Raj Thackeray, has planned a victory rally on July 5 after the state government withdrew its two government resolutions concerning the introduction of Hindi language along with Marathi and English for classes 1 to 5.

Stepping up attacks against Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief Minister said: “You (Uddhav Thackeray) have been doing politics only in the name of Marathi. But we are the ones who gave that Marathi man a house. We gave him a house in BDD Chawla. After the elections, they remember the Marathi Manoos.”

He further claimed that the committee formed by Uddhav Thackeray's government for the new education policy had recommended that Hindi and English should be made compulsory along with Marathi for classes 1 to 12.

“We will not do politics for who should form an alliance or not. We are doing politics for the benefit of Maharashtra,” claimed the Chief Minister.

“Farmers in every corner of Maharashtra should prosper, and youth should get work. Maharashtra has been brought back to the first place by signing contracts worth Rs 16 lakh crore. We want to bring about a change in the lives of farmers in Maharashtra. We want to provide water from the dams of poor farmers. We want to make drought a thing of the past. We have done what we said after 2014. We are not talkers. It is not our job to make big speeches and have zero achievements. The public knows everything,” he said.

He further stated that all three parties of the MahaYuti are out to build a new Maharashtra. He declared that PM Modi’s dream of ‘Viksit Bharat’, along with ‘Viksit Maharashtra’, will also be fulfilled.

“Maharashtra will not remain without being made the best state in the country,” he added.

Commenting on Ravindra Chavan’s election as the state BJP chief, the Chief Minister said, “Our relationship is with Hindutva. Here, even a tea seller can become the Prime Minister. Ravindra Chavan became a corporator, general secretary, MLA and minister. He is brave and persistent.”

He pointed out that at least one Konkani should become the state president; now Chavan has filled that gap.

“Chavan is a person who fulfils the given responsibility, thinks about the BJP every moment, and works for the BJP 24/7,” he added.

The Chief Minister also congratulated the outgoing state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, saying that he did the work of building the party by working tirelessly.

--IANS

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