Maharashtra residents’ outrage over inaction by JNU Vice Chancellor

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New Delhi: Despite the Maharashtra government allocating a substantial sum of ₹9 crore for the establishment of the Marathi Language and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Study Centre at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), not a single brick has been laid, nor has any meaningful progress been made. This blatant neglect has triggered deep anger and resentment among Maharashtrians, who see it as an insult to their cultural identity.

Shockingly, even with JNU Vice Chancellor Dr. Shantisree Pandit — herself hailing from Pune, Maharashtra — at the helm, there has been absolute inaction. The project, which was envisioned to promote rigorous research on the Marathi language and the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, remains nothing more than a hollow nameplate on campus.

Maharashtra’s Industries and Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant had personally held detailed discussions with Dr. Pandit and Professor Amitabh Mattu, Chairperson of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Centre for Security Studies, underscoring the Centre’s significance. It was clearly conveyed that the state government would ensure uninterrupted financial support and extend all possible assistance. The project is also seen as a matter of prestige for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Yet, despite these assurances, the JNU administration has dragged its feet, reducing a project of historical and cultural importance to a farce. Students and visitors from Maharashtra, who expected the Centre to stand as a vibrant hub of research and learning, now express their fury at this betrayal.

This delay not only undermines the recognition of Marathi as a classical language but also raises doubts over the potential for additional central government funding, which could have been secured once the Centre became functional. With nothing visible on the ground, except the empty pretense of a nameplate, Maharashtrians feel cheated — and their outrage is directed squarely at JNU Vice Chancellor Dr. Pandit’s failure of leadership.

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