Only Marathi language to be compulsory in Maharashtra, says CM Devendra Fadnavis

CM Fadnavis addresses the 99th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in Satara on Friday. Express photo by Narendra vaskar

Inaugurating the 99th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sammelan in Satara, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Friday that only the Marathi language will be made compulsory in the state.

The chief minister’s assertion came after Marathi Mahamandal chief Prof Milind Joshi said that when the Marathi language was being insulted, there was no need to indulge in praising other languages.

“I want to make it clear that other than Marathi, no other language was compulsory in Maharashtra. As per the three-language policy, a study is underway to find out which other languages should be included,” he added.

The chief minister said a committee under Dr Narendra Jadhav has been set up to find out from which class language should be taught. “The committee is in the final stages of its work,” he said. Fadnavis said the Marathi language was already a “classical language” before the Modi government accorded it classical status. “We have to use this opportunity to promote the Marathi language across the country,” he said.

During his address, the chief minister apologised for speaking on the phone while sharing the stage with dignitaries at the event. Fadnavis said that since it was election time, he was managing rebel candidates, even as the deadline for withdrawing nominations for municipal polls across the state ended on Friday.

“Everyone knows that I do not speak on the phone when I am on the dais. But today, I had no option. There are rebel candidates in every party. They do not withdraw unless they are spoken to and pacified,” he said.

“I apologise to the literary fraternity for being on the phone even as the event was underway,” Fadnavis said, adding that he had, however, remained attentive to the proceedings.

Sammelan president Vishwas Patil, reception committee chief Chhatrapati Shivendra Raje Bhosale, noted author Mrudula Garg, outgoing Sammelan chief Tara Bhavalkar, and Rural Development Minister Jaykumar Gore were present at the event.