Mumbai, Jun 29 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Maharashtra government lost to the power of "Marathi manoos" after it withdrew two government resolutions on the implementation of Hindi, part of the three-language policy, in classes 1 to 5 in schools.
Addressing a press conference, Thackeray said the government withdrew the GRs to thwart the unity of the Marathi people, apparently referring to the joint protest by Sena (UBT) and MNS on July 5 against the "imposition" of the Hindi language.
The protest was cancelled after the government scrapped the orders on the three-language policy in schools.
Thackeray said Devendra Fadnavis government intended to break the unity of the Marathi manoos, divide Marathi and non-Marathi people, and bag non-Marathi votes through a hidden agenda.
"The government lost to the power of Marathi manoos. It didn't realise Marathi manoos would unite in this manner," he said.
A similar power of Marathi manoos was seen during the Samyukt Maharashtra movement.
Marathi manoos took a mature stand that we are not opposed to Hindi but its imposition, Thackeray said.
The former chief minister wondered why Marathi manoos should unite only during a crisis. The crisis had to withdraw when the Marathi people stay united. This awakening of the Marathi manoos should stay, he said amid a buzz of rapprochement with MNS headed by his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray.
After Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut announced that a joint rally on July 5 to protest the GRs has been cancelled, Thackeray said a victory march will be taken out to celebrate the success of the Marathi unity.
He also dubbed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party as a factory of lies.
Facing mounting opposition to the introduction of the Hindi language in Maharashtra schools from classes 1 to 5, the state cabinet on Sunday decided to withdraw two GRs (government orders) on the implementation of the three-language policy.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai on the eve of the monsoon session of the state legislature, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the GRs have been withdrawn, and announced the formation of a committee headed by educationist Narendra Jadhav to suggest the way forward on the language policy.
The panel has sought three months to study the issue and prepare a report.
Thackeray said the appointment of the panel is of no use because imposition (of Hindi) will not be tolerated.
Fadnavis had alleged Uddhav Thackeray had accepted the recommendations of the Dr Raghunath Mashelkar committee to introduce a three-language policy from class 1 to 12 when he was chief minister and set up a committee to implement the policy.
Thackeray said experts on primary education were not members of the Mashelkar Committee.
The panel gave its report and a study group was formed to examine its implementation under his chairmanship, he said. But later his government was toppled so there was no meeting of the study group, nor there was a chance to study the discussion of the committee.
"I did not see the committee report," Thackeray said pointing out that the GR (on the Hindi language) was issued by the Fadnavis government.