Thackeray Brothers Unite After Two Decades Amid Language Policy Controversy

On Saturday, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray reunited, marking a significant moment as both regional parties came together amidst the ongoing three-language policy debate. This was the first time in 20 years that the Thackeray brothers shared a stage, embracing each other in front of thousands of supporters. During a joint rally held at the Worli Dome in Mumbai, Uddhav and Raj paid tribute by placing garlands at the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

At the rally, Anand Dubey, a leader from Uddhav Thackeray's faction (UBT), expressed that this was a golden moment after many years, where both Thackerays, well-established figures in Maharashtra, united not for political gain but to uphold the honor of the state. He criticized the BJP for attempting to undermine this honor, stating that while the BJP wishes to remain in Maharashtra, it promotes 'Jai Gujarat', which will not be accepted. Maharashtra will always take precedence over other states.

In response to the sharp criticism from the Thackeray brothers, the Maharashtra government recently revoked its revised government resolution (GR) regarding the three-language policy and announced the formation of a new committee to review and reimplement the policy. The controversy arose after the GR was issued by the Mahayuti government in April, which mandated Hindi as the default third language for students in Marathi and English medium schools from grades 1 to 5. This was part of the phased rollout of the central government's National Education Policy 2020 at the primary school level.

Following immediate backlash from various political, social, and cultural groups, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that Hindi would not be mandatory, allowing students to choose any other regional language instead. Earlier this month, a revised order indicated that Hindi would be taught 'generally' as a third language for students.