Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday targeted the Centre over its alleged imposition of Hindi across the country, including Maharashtra, and sought to know if Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart LK Advani's education at a missionary school raised any doubts on his Hindutva.
Even Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray studied in an English school and worked for an English newspaper but "never compromised on the status of Marathi", Raj told a massive joint rally of MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers, as he reunited with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray after almost 20 years.
"We studied in Marathi medium. Our children studied in English. They say we love English, how can we like Marathi? My father and uncle studied in the English medium. Can you doubt them?" he told the crowd.
"LK Advani studied at St. Patricks High School, a missionary school. Should we doubt his Hindutva?" he added.
The developments came days after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti government amended its April 16 order that directed making Hindi a compulsory third language for students in Classes 1 to 5 studying in English and Marathi medium schools. Amid a backlash, the government on June 17 made Hindi an optional language.
"The Maharashtra government rolled back the decision on the three-language formula due to the strong unity shown by Marathi people. This decision was a precursor to the plan of separating Mumbai from Maharashtra," Raj said.
"We won't let the government impose Hindi on us," he added.
Many politicians and film stars in South India have studied in English schools but are proud of Tamil and Telugu languages, the MNS chief said. "Jayalalithaa, MK Stalin, Kanimozhi, Udhayanidhi, Pawan Kalyan, Nara Lokesh, Kamal Haasan, AR Rahman, they all studied in English," he told the crowd.
"Your bitterness doesn't depend on where you studied, it has to be in you. They say one language binds you, what was the problem till now?" he added.
Even the security forces are not bound by one language, Raj said. "Madras, Rajput, Dogra, Sikh, Parachute, Maratha, Assam, Bihar, Mahar, Jammu Kashmir, Naga, Gorkha, all these regiments are there in defence. When they see an enemy, they go kill together. Where is the question of language here?" he said.
