MNS attacks BJP manifesto for promising to make Hindi compulsory in schools

The BJP released its municipal election manifesto for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation on Tuesday, which talks of making both Hindi and Marathi “compulsory” in schools, after which the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) went on the offensive against the BJP.

“Does the BJP secretly want to make Hindi mandatory once again in the municipal schools? While the people had protested against Hindi language being made mandatory in municipal schools, the manifesto of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has stated that Hindi language will be mandatory in schools along with Marathi. Should we celebrate this manifesto or throw this manifesto away? The BJP must answer,” MNS leader Gajanan Kale said.

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Gajanan Kale also expressed his firm belief that every Marathi person will vote against the BJP for releasing such a poll manifesto.

Significantly, the manifesto released by the BJP’s Maharashtra state president, Ravindra Chavan, promises to make Marathi and Hindi languages compulsory in municipal schools.

It may be recalled that in July 2025, the move to make Hindi compulsory in schools had brought the Raj Thackeray-led MNS and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena together as allies to fight the municipal corporation elections.

The BJP’s move to make Hindi compulsory in schools was resolutely opposed by various organisations championing the Marathi language.

An all-party march against the move to make Hindi compulsory in schools had forced the Fadnavis government to withdraw a controversial government resolution (GR) that had mandated compulsory Hindi teaching for students from Class 1 to 5 across Maharashtra.

Later, the Fadnavis government formed a committee to examine the issue, but its report is yet to be made public.

However, a few months ago, despite the statewide uproar over the move to make Hindi compulsory, the BJP’s Navi Mumbai manifesto clearly stated that “Marathi and Hindi languages will be mandatory in municipal schools.” Consequently, the president of the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti, Govardhan Deshmukh, has raised questions over the issue.

Meanwhile, the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti has expressed its displeasure about the inclusion of making Hindi language compulsory in municipal schools.

“The BJP has stated in its Navi Mumbai manifesto that it will make Hindi compulsory in school education. It also said that it will increase the number of CBSE schools as much as possible, but what about Marathi schools?” asked Marathi Ekikaran Samiti President Govardhan Deshmukh.