Marathi Language Row: Maharashtra Govt Revives Mashelkar Report To Corner Uddhav Thackeray

The Maharashtra government has turned the spotlight on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray over the contentious Hindi-Marathi language row by reviving the Mashelkar Committee report, which was constituted during Thackeray’s tenure as Chief Minister.

Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant, speaking in the state assembly during a debate on supplementary demands of the Marathi Language Department, announced that the government will table the Mashelkar Committee report in the ongoing legislative session. The announcement is being seen as a strategic attempt by the ruling Mahayuti alliance to place Thackeray on the defensive following his aggressive stance on Marathi identity.

According to Samant, the committee, headed by renowned scientist Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, was set up by the Thackeray-led government to recommend a language policy aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The report, submitted on February 22, 2022, includes a recommendation to implement the three-language formula, making Hindi a mandatory subject from Grades 1 to 12 in higher and technical education.

“Who was the Chief Minister at the time?” Samant asked rhetorically in the House, clearly implying Uddhav Thackeray without naming him directly. He further pointed out that the state’s official information department had, at the time, publicized on social media that the report was submitted and accepted by the Chief Minister’s Office.

Samant clarified that the current Mahayuti government has not made Hindi a compulsory language from Class 1, but intends to bring transparency by tabling the report in the Assembly.

A day before the commencement of the monsoon Assembly session, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a press conference where he presented documents, including cabinet minutes bearing Uddhav Thackeray's signature, to show that the recommendations of the Mashelkar Committee were formally accepted during the previous government.

“Uddhav Thackeray accepted the report in his cabinet, and it is documented,” Fadnavis asserted, adding that the decision to implement the three-language formula was taken under Thackeray's leadership, not by the current government.

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In response, Uddhav Thackeray maintained that although the report was submitted while he was Chief Minister, no further action was taken because his government was “toppled soon after.” Thackeray also denied accepting the imposition of Hindi, accusing the BJP of twisting facts to discredit his commitment to the Marathi language and identity.

This political twist comes just days after Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray united at a rally in support of Marathi pride, triggering sharp criticism from BJP leaders. With the upcoming municipal elections in Mumbai looming, the BJP appears to be using every opportunity to counter the growing political momentum of the Thackeray cousins.