Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, together for the first time in two decades, will come together against the language policy of the Maharashtra government. Their coming together is in reaction to the state making Hindi compulsory from Class 1 to Class 5 under the National Education Policy’s three-language formula.
The two leaders term it a clear thrust of Hindi upon Marathi identity and linguistic diversity. They have now planned a joint protest on July 5. This is a political moment that comes close to a display of unity from the estranged cousins.
From Separate Protests to a Single March
The two leaders had initially called for different protests. Raj Thackeray was organizing a ‘Virat Morcha’ on July 6 from Girgaon Chowpatty in South Mumbai. Uddhav Thackeray had supported an Azad Maidan protest on July 7 called by academic and activist Deepak Pawar.
The individual announcements had created confusion among the fans. But barely a few minutes after the press conferences, Raj Thackeray phoned Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut. He suggested staging one united march for the Marathi movement. Raut spoke to Uddhav Thackeray, who agreed forthwith. The leadership settled for July 5 as the date of the joint protest. The time and location will be disclosed in due course.
New Political Moment in Maharashtra
Sanjay Raut posted a photo of Uddhav and Raj together on X. His caption was, “There will be one united protest against the imposition of Hindi in Maharashtra schools. Jai Maharashtra!”
जय महाराष्ट्र!
“There will be a single and united march against compulsory Hindi in Maharashtra schools. Thackeray is the brand!”
@Dev_Fadnavis
@AmitShah pic.twitter.com/tPv6q15Hwv— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) June 27, 2025
The MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande welcomed the decision. He appreciated Raj for initiating it and Uddhav for endorsing it without hesitation. Sandeep Deshpande stated that this march would demonstrate the power of one voice, united in Marathi. He even referred to it as a “2.0 version of the Sanyukta Maharashtra Movement.”
Government Faces Backlash, Revises Decision
The Maharashtra state government had initially issued the directive on April 16. It instructed schools to introduce Hindi compulsorily from Class 1 to 5 in Marathi- and English-medium schools. People viewed it as an assault on the rights of regional languages. Following protests, the government changed its order. The new resolution now makes Hindi voluntary. It also permits schools to teach another Indian language if a minimum of 20 students express a desire for it.
The message on July 5 will be loud and clear. Both Uddhav and Raj would like to demonstrate that Marathi identity cannot be diluted. Their consolidation might determine not only the course of language policy but also Maharashtra’s politics.
