Maharashtra: Ajit Pawar says Marathi will always come first as state defends Hindi move

Updated On: 18 April, 2025 02:01 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar backs Maharashtra’s decision to make Hindi compulsory as a third language in primary schools, while reiterating that Marathi will always be the state’s foremost language

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Pawar emphasised that Marathi as the mother tongue would always retain its pre-eminent status in the state

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has come down heavily on political parties criticising the government’s recent decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language for students from Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English-medium schools. According to PTI, Pawar accused detractors of creating “unnecessary disputes” in the absence of substantive issues.

Speaking at the inauguration of a national memorial dedicated to the Chapekar Brothers in Pimpri Chinchwad on Friday, Pawar emphasised that Marathi as the mother tongue would always retain its pre-eminent status in the state. “Marathi is our mother tongue and will always have first preference in the state,” he reiterated.