A dispute over language and cultural identity has been unfolding in Maharashtra, India’s wealthiest state, for several weeks.
The controversy began in April after the Maharashtra government mandated Hindi as a compulsory third language in state-run primary schools, alongside English and Marathi (the state’s primary language). The government stated this was in accordance with a national policy requiring children to learn three languages in school.
The National Education Policy (NEP), established in 1968, aims to promote and regulate education throughout India and is periodically updated by the government. The most recent version of the policy, introduced five years ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, is being implemented incrementally and has previously faced opposition.
The Maharashtra government’s decision triggered strong opposition from civil society organizations, language activists, and opposition leaders, who accused the government of attempting to impose Hindi—predominantly spoken in northern and central Indian states—on the state.
Language is a sensitive matter in India, where numerous states, including Maharashtra, were established along linguistic lines after independence. The local language is often deeply intertwined with regional pride and identity, and alterations to the status quo can be perceived as a threat. For example, last year, Kannada-language activists in Bengaluru, often dubbed India’s Silicon Valley, staged protests demanding that billboards be displayed in the local language, rather than solely in English.
However, concerns are particularly heightened regarding Hindi, the most widely spoken language in India. Over the years, initiatives by various federal governments to promote Hindi have fueled anxieties in non-Hindi speaking states about the potential erosion of local cultures. These concerns have been amplified by substantial migration from less-developed Hindi-speaking states to other regions of India, particularly the south, in pursuit of employment opportunities.
Political analyst Abhay Deshpande notes that these anxieties have intensified since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014. Prominent BJP leaders—the party enjoys greater support in Hindi-speaking states—have frequently sparked controversy with remarks that appear to favor Hindi.
Amid escalating tensions in Maharashtra, the state government—led by a BJP-led coalition—revoked its decision and formed a committee to re-evaluate the three-language policy. Despite this, the controversy persists.
The dispute arises in advance of the long-delayed municipal elections scheduled to take place in the state, including in Mumbai, home to India’s wealthiest municipal corporation. It has ignited a political battle between the ruling coalition and opposition parties, each accusing the other of engaging in political maneuvering.
Reports of violence targeting non-Marathi speakers in the state have also emerged.
In April, two women in the Thane district were allegedly assaulted in their residential complex after excusing themselves to a man who insisted they communicate with him in Marathi.
That same month, a security guard in Mumbai was allegedly attacked by members of the opposition Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)—a nativist party recognized for its aggressive political approach—after he stated he did not speak Marathi.
In May, a couple in Mumbai reportedly refused to pay a delivery driver after he declined to speak in Marathi. Last week, a video showing a shop owner being assaulted, allegedly by MNS workers, for not speaking Marathi went viral on social media, sparking public outcry.
While this issue appears to have deepened societal divisions, it has also united two political rivals almost two decades after their separation.
Last week, Uddhav Thackeray, leader of the local opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) party, and Raj Thackeray, head of the MNS—the son and nephew, respectively, of Bal Thackeray, the patriarch of the former Shiv Sena, a Hindu nationalist party that gained prominence in Maharashtra in the 1960s with its nativist policies—held a joint rally to protest against the alleged imposition of Hindi.
Although the durability of this alliance remains to be seen, analysts suggest that the image of the cousins setting aside their differences to “protect Marathi pride” could improve their chances in the upcoming municipal elections.
“The matter of Marathi language and culture resonates deeply with people,” notes Prashant Dixit, a former political journalist who has covered the state for over two decades. “It is an emotional issue, especially for residents of Mumbai, and has been since the 1960s,” he adds.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the erstwhile Shiv Sena, under the leadership of Bal Thackeray, conducted aggressive campaigns against individuals who had migrated to Mumbai from southern states, accusing them of taking jobs that should have been reserved for locals.
In the following decades, migration patterns shifted, and the party directed its animosity toward people from northern states who were moving to the city in search of economic opportunities. The party accused migrants from states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar of displacing local workers.
These tensions are likely to persist. According to data from India’s most recent census, there was a 40% increase in Mumbai’s Hindi-speaking population between 2001 and 2011.
These Marathi-centric movements have previously resonated with voters, particularly in Mumbai, and some believe that they could similarly benefit the Thackeray cousins in the municipal elections.
However, this approach has faced considerable criticism.
An editorial in the Indian Express newspaper, titled ‘Slap In Mumbai’s Face’, argued that politics centered around linguistic identity was “deeply troubling” and that its parochialism lent itself to violence, which “should have no place in India’s most industrialised state.”
Mr. Dixit concurs, suggesting that any support gained from aggressive language campaigns is likely to be short-lived.
“People expect their leaders to fulfill their promises and focus on genuine progress, through improved jobs and policies, to enhance the quality of life for everyone,” he concludes.
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