Ajit Pawar Slams Opposition Over Hindi Row, Backs Mandatory Third Language in Maharashtra Schools

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Pimpri Chinchwad: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has strongly defended the Maharashtra government’s decision to introduce Hindi as a compulsory third language in Marathi and English-medium schools for Classes 1 to 5, criticising opposition parties for politicising the move.

Speaking at a public event in Pimpri Chinchwad, Pawar accused political opponents of sparking unnecessary controversy over the language policy to divert attention from their lack of substantive issues. According to him, the language debate was being escalated unnecessarily despite Marathi continuing to hold a primary position in the state’s cultural and educational landscape.

The policy marks a shift from the existing two-language framework and aims to provide students with wider linguistic exposure. While Hindi and English are widely spoken across India, the state government maintains that Marathi will always remain the first preference in Maharashtra.

The decision has triggered backlash from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Congress. MNS has accused the government of attempting to impose Hindi on the state, while the Congress has labelled the move as central interference.

Pawar, however, maintained that all three languages—Marathi, Hindi, and English—are essential for students. He also highlighted the state’s efforts to promote Marathi, pointing to recent central government recognition of the language’s classical status. Additionally, plans are underway to establish a Marathi Bhasha Bhavan in Mumbai to further cultural and linguistic development.

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