The recent uproar in Maharashtra over the mandatory inclusion of Hindi as a third language in state-run primary schools has revealed more than just pedagogical discontent. It has exposed deep seated anxieties about identity, culture, and the long standing tension between regional autonomy and central authority. In a state where language is not merely a medium of instruction but a cornerstone of selfhood, the controversy has acted as a spark in a room full of dry kindling. At the heart of the storm is a decision by the state government to implement the Union government’s three-language policy in primary education ~ introducing Hindi alongside Marathi and English. While the move was positioned as a matter of compliance with the National Education Policy, it was immediately perceived by many in Maharashtra as an encroachment on their linguistic space. The swift and visceral reaction was not surprising.

Language here........

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