Janhvi Kapoor's boyfriend Shikhar Pahariya speaks up on Hindi-Marathi conflict, violence by Raj Thackeray's MNS

Mumbai, July 9 (IANS) Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor’s boyfriend Shikhar Pahariya has spoken up on the rising issue of the language conflict between Hindi and Marathi in Maharashtra.

On Tuesday, Shikhar took to his Instagram, and penned a long note as he spoke about the issue. He wrote, “Asmita, a sense of self and identity, should uplift, not divide. It should give us pride, not prejudice, no matter where in India we are from or what language we speak. Marathi Asmita is real. It is deep, emotional, and rooted in our way of life”.

In Maharashtra, a new movement is brewing. For now, the movement is gaining momentum in big cities of the state after the Maharashtra government passed a decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language in schools in April this year. The State Council of Educational Research and Training included this provision in the state School Curriculum Framework-2024.

Shikhar raised his voice in support of the poor migrants in cities like Mumbai and Pune. He further mentioned, “As someone from Solapur, I understand this deeply. Language shapes who we are, it has shaped our states, our stories, given us poets, songs, and revolutions. Marathi is no exception. It must be preserved, protected, and passed on, just like all of our languages. But that pride cannot come at the cost of others' dignity. Especially others who are making an honest, hard living”.

He continued, “So many from Solapur travel to Delhi, Chennai, or Kolkata to work hard and build a future. Imagine if they were made to feel unwelcome there, humiliated for the language they spoke. What would we say then? When people are struggling and working hard, away from their families, this imposition through violent action is unacceptable. It is not a tragedy that people speak Hindi, Tamil, or Gujarati in Mumbai. The real tragedy is believing this is a threat to Marathi. We cannot keep a language alive through fear”.

“Mumbai, Maharashtra, and India belong to all those who live with dignity, work with honesty, and speak with kindness, whatever their language. Let our Marathi Asmita shine through inclusion, not intimidation. Let us protect Marathi by celebrating it, not weaponising it (sic)”, he added.

Meanwhile, the government of Maharashtra has already rolled back its decision, and School Education Minister Dada Bhuse announced that Hindi will now be an optional subject, with Marathi and English being the priority languages.

The latest uproar comes in the light of violent measures being taken by MNS workers against people in Mumbai and Pune who refuse to speak Marathi.

In fact, estranged cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray even reunited after 3 decades to push back the Hindi imposition in the state.

--IANS

aa/