Not against Hindi, oppose imposition: Maharashtra Congress leader

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 29 (ANI): Amid the ongoing debate over the Maharashtra government's alleged move to make Hindi compulsory across all classes, Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwarstated they were not against Hindi but against its imposition.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Wadettiwar said, "We are not against Hindi. We oppose Hindi imposition... Students should have the option to choose whichever language they want to study. We are positive about joining the Morcha, "referring to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray to lead a protest march on July 5 against the Maharashtra government's mandate to make Hindi the default third language in schools.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday stated that the Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray would protest against the "forceful imposition" of the language in the state's education system.
Raut further stated that the government resolution would be publicly burned.
"Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will protest against the forceful imposition of Hindi in the state education. We will burn the government resolution released today along with the public... Main program is in Mumbai... Uddhav Thackeray will be present in this program..." Raut said, addressing the media.
Earlier, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde hit out at Shiv Sena (UBT) and accused the party of practising "double-faced" politics.
Shinde said that people who practise double-faced politics have no right to demand the resignation of Minister Dada Bhuse.
"The then Chief Minister of Maharashtra had made mandatory the teaching of three languages - Marathi, English, and Hindi, which was recommended by the Raghunath Mashelkar Committee... When they were in power, their opinion was different, and now that they are not in power, they are responding differently... The people who practise double-faced politics have no right to demand the resignation of Minister Dada Bhuse...Our government made Marathi mandatory in schools," Shinde told ANI.
Shinde's remarks came in response to criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, who demanded the resignation of School Education Minister Dada Bhuse over the "imposition" of Hindi in state schools.
Aaditya Thackeray argued that no language should be forced upon students and that doing so could overburden them.
"We demand that no language should be forced. What we have been learning so far should continue. Education should be enhanced, but no language should be forced. Why is it just Hindi? How much do you want to burden the children? Focus on what they are already studying; restructure it a little, make it better," he said. (ANI)