Uddhav And Raj Thackeray Unite For Marathi Rally To Oppose Hindi Imposition In Maharashtra Schools

Estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have decided to come together for a joint rally in support of the Marathi language and to oppose the alleged forceful imposition of Hindi on primary school students in Maharashtra. The two leaders, who had initially announced separate rallies, will now hold a united protest on Saturday, July 5.

This rare show of unity between Uddhav's Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has drawn attention across the state’s political landscape, potentially spelling trouble for the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.

According to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, Raj Thackeray personally called to invite UBT Sena to join the protest. “Raj saheb said it doesn’t look good to organise morchas on the same issue—it would send a message that the Marathi community is not united,” said Raut. Uddhav Thackeray agreed to the proposal but requested that the rally be held on July 5, a day before the auspicious Ashadhi Ekadashi, which Raj accepted.

Raut also emphasized that this joint protest echoes the spirit of the historic Samyukta Maharashtra movement of 1960. “Similar attacks are now taking place to break Mumbai and drive the Marathi manoos out of Maharashtra,” he said, underlining the emotional and cultural undercurrent of the protest.

MNS Mumbai President Sandeep Deshpande welcomed the unity, stating, “As a Marathi manoos, I am happy to see Raj saheb take the lead and Uddhav saheb reciprocating with equal enthusiasm.”

Adding to the buzz, Aaditya Thackeray and Sandeep Deshpande were seen together at a public event on Friday, exchanging pleasantries. Speaking to the media, Aaditya said, “On the issue of Marathi, we stand united. We collectively oppose the BJP’s policy of divide and rule. We will not allow the imposition of Hindi on students.” When asked about a potential political alliance between UBT and MNS, he remarked, “Whatever is in the minds of the Marathi people will happen.”

In the run-up to the rally, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Varun Sardesai also met MNS officials at a restaurant near Raj Thackeray’s residence to discuss the planning.

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray has urged his party workers to burn copies of the government's controversial GR (Government Resolution) imposing Hindi in schools, on Sunday, in their respective constituencies.

The movement is gaining wider political support. Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) has officially extended its support and appealed to its leaders and workers to join the July 5 rally. State president Jayant Patil shared a letter on social media urging party members to oppose the BJP's "hidden agenda" and support the Marathi language.

The Congress party remains undecided, though state president Harshwardhan Sapkal welcomed the initiative. Sapkal said the party’s stance would be finalized after internal discussions.

In contrast, the ruling Mahayuti alliance has downplayed the significance of the protest. Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant said, “While I understand Raj Thackeray’s rally, Uddhav Thackeray himself had earlier accepted Hindi as a third language. It’s hypocritical to now oppose the government's decision. We are watching the situation closely.”

Cultural Affairs Minister and Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar also weighed in, calling the controversy a “misunderstanding.” He stated, “Marathi remains a compulsory language. Hindi is only optional. We support Marathi wholeheartedly—we are not against other languages.”

The row erupted after the state government last week issued an amended order stating that Hindi will "generally" be taught as the third language to students in Marathi and English medium schools from Classes 1 to 5.

According to the order, if 20 students per grade in a school wish to study any other Indian language, they can opt out of Hindi. If such a demand arises, either a teacher will be appointed or the language will be taught online.

School Education Minister Dada Bhuse has said there will be no textbooks for Classes 1 and 2. The medium of instruction will be oral, and students of these two grades will be taught songs and shown pictures.