Behind NDA's hasty retreat from language war ground: Marathi manoos, Uddhav-Raj edge

When the BJP-led NDA government implemented three language formula in Maharashtra on April 16 and mandated Hindi as the third language, it had not imagined the move would unite Marathi’s in an anti-Hindi push or bring estranged Thackeray cousins close together.

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But that's exactly what happened, forcing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, egged on by ally Ajit Pawar of the NCP, to beat a hasty retreat from this language battleground.

Behind Sunday retractions of Mahayuti government’s twin orders (April 16, June 17) backing Hindi in primary sections across Maharashtra schools was a firm assertion of the Maratha identity, with Marathi language at the core.

Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chiefs -- Uddhav and Raj Thackeray articulated the “Marathi pride and Marathi manoos ” narrative in the aftermath of government's move, with visible consolidation of Marathi speaking sections in state politics and civil society behind the issue.

The backlash to April 16 move only grew shriller, the June 17 tone down order making Hindi optional instead of compulsory did not help and Uddhav's announcement of a July 5 rally to reclaim Marathi pride spawned genuine fears of anti-Hindi mobilisation around the Thackeray cousins -- a move the government could ill afford.

NDA sources sensed signs of trouble on Sunday itself when Uddhav led a protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan and burnt copies of government orders backing Hindi amid loud cheers and applause. Sources say anticipation of a massive Marathi speaking crowd at Uddhav's July 5 rally in Mumbai was the tipping point for Fadnavis to retract.

“It would have been a mobilisation next only to the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, which played a crucial role in the formation of Maharashtra in 1960,” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant told The Tribune on Monday.

Sawant said the ruling dispensation could see Maharashtra uniting behind Uddhav and backtracked to stall the July 5 rally, where Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS chiefs were to share the stage on the “Marathi manoos” issue.

This public reunion of the Thackeray’s would not be to BJP's liking given their long separation. Raj Thackeray had quit the erstwhile Shiv Sena in 2006 but recently said he would bury the hatchet for the sake of Marathi pride.

Shiv Sena UBT leaders Sanjay Raut and Sawant say the April 16 order was brought to divide Marathi and Hindi speaking people of the state for political gains in the light of upcoming elections to 29 municipal corporations of the state including Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Analysts also point out the importance of Mumbai’s 4.5 million Hindi-speaking people for the BJP ahead of the BMC elections and see the April 16 orders in this context.

The country’s richest MC is currently dominated by Uddhav’s party which commands the support of the majority -- Marathi speaking people of Mumbai and the other parts of the state. Overall as against nearly 70 million Marathi speakers in Maharashtra, there are about 10 million Hindi speakers of which about 4.5 million are in Mumbai alone.

Elections to BMC and other MCs have been delayed since 2022 and the Supreme Court has recently asked the state poll body to commence the process.

For the BJP, which split with erstwhile Shiv Sena in 2019, dominance in BMC and other MCs of Maharashtra is the next political challenge after the historic 2024 assembly win.

In this backdrop, Uddhav led July 5 rally could have spelt a decisive resurgence of Marathi pride issue.

“So the question before the NDA was clear: Can it risk Uddhav's growing popularity?” said Sawant.

Fadnavis, while withdrawing the orders on Sunday, also announced a panel to recommend the way forward.

He attacked Uddhav, saying as the CM, Uddhav had accepted the Mashelkar committee report on the implementation of three-language policy in state’s schools.

Shiv Sena (UBT) has countered this allegation saying Uddhav never issued official orders on the RA Mashelkar report and had only referred it to another panel for action.

The RA Mashelkar committee was set up under the former Uddhav led Maha Vikas Aghadi government to recommend the modalities for implementation of the three language formula under the 2020 National Education Policy which mandates the learning of mother tongue, English and a third native language.

The Shiv Sena UBT has been asking NDA to clarify whether in other non-Hindi speaking states the Centre would impose Marathi as a compulsory third language?

After Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Shiv Sena UBT's Uddhav has taken a staunch position on alleged Hindi imposition as a political tool with both leaders arguing that two languages are enough.