Marathi in, Hindi out: MMRDA updates Metro signboards after MNS protest

Marathi

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has initiated the replacement of Hindi with on signboards along the under-construction Metro Line 12 (Kalyan–Taloja) in Dombivli.

This action follows protests by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers, who objected to the absence of Marathi on the signage.

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MNS protests over Marathi signboards

On Wednesday, MNS activists, led by former corporator Prabhakar Jadhav, blackened the Hindi portions of the signboards and demanded that all information be displayed in Marathi, the state's official language.

Jadhav emphasized the importance of prioritizing Marathi in Maharashtra and criticized MMRDA for using Hindi, reports The Times of India.

In response, MMRDA officials stated that they had instructed the contractor to include Marathi alongside English on all signboards, as per the terms of the work contract. By Friday, staff were observed replacing Hindi with Marathi on the signage, the TOI report added.

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Language politics intensify across India

The incident in Maharashtra is part of a broader trend of linguistic tensions in India. In Tamil Nadu, anti-Hindi imposition movements have a long history, with significant protests occurring in the 1960s and 1980s. More recently, in 2019, proposed educational policies suggesting Hindi as a third language in non-Hindi-speaking states sparked widespread protests, leading to policy revisions.

In the northeastern states, the central government's move to make Hindi compulsory up to Class 10 has been met with resistance. Organizations argue that such policies could marginalize local languages and cultures.

These instances reflect the ongoing debates and sensitivities surrounding language use and policy in India's diverse linguistic landscape.

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