Despite claiming the legacy of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, the ruling Eknath Shinde-led faction of the party is overlooking the Marathi language, local school teachers have alleged. A circular issued by the state education department about a nationwide competition organised by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) under the National Population Education Project across various states has directed schools to hold dramas, skits and folk dance competitions only in Hindi and English. This has not gone down well with Maharashtra’s school teachers and Marathi language enthusiasts, who have asked why the competition is not being held in the state language. Some teachers and their schools are planning to boycott the competition if Marathi is not added as a medium of language to the project.

“By issuing circulars like these, the government and education department are denigrating the state language while simultaneously claiming to be focusing on promoting and protecting Marathi. They should have clarified this with NCERT and ensured that Marathi was included.  What about students from rural areas? Should they not participate? It’s not that we can’t teach them Hindi or English, Marathi will allow them to represent their culture and language to other states,” said Sushil Shejule, the coordinator of the Marathi Shala Sansthachalak Sangh and a member of the Marathi Abhyaas Kendra.