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Learn the local language, but the government must provide adequate time : Giriraj
New Delhi : Amid the ongoing controversy in Maharashtra regarding auto-rickshaw drivers and migrants from other states concerning the Marathi language, Union Minister Giriraj Singh has made a significant statement. He remarked that individuals from outside Maharashtra who come to the state for employment should learn the local language—Marathi. However, he also emphasized that the government should provide people with sufficient time and opportunities to learn the language.
Giriraj Singh stated that if a person earns a livelihood in Maharashtra, they should not remain completely unfamiliar with the local language. According to him, learning the local language and using it in daily conversations is essential.
The Union Minister expressed that he does not support the idea of someone working in Maharashtra remaining completely ignorant of the local language. He said, “I am not saying that if I earn my livelihood in Maharashtra, I shouldn’t know the local language. One should certainly learn the language, but time must be allowed for it.”
The primary emphasis of Giriraj Singh’s statement lies not so much on the compulsion to learn the language, but rather on the time and opportunity provided to do so. He suggested that instead of suddenly pressuring people regarding the language, they should be given a chance to learn and understand Marathi.
Giriraj Singh proposed that a timeframe could be set for people from outside Maharashtra. During this period, they should be given the opportunity to learn, understand, and use Marathi in their daily lives. He noted that while promoting the local language is important, the environment should be such that migrants from other states have adequate opportunities to learn it. Instead of abruptly imposing the language on an individual, a system could be implemented to introduce them to the local language in a phased manner.
Giriraj Singh has previously made statements regarding the Marathi language and identity. Earlier this year, prior to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, he had commented on the Thackeray family and the issue of Marathi identity. Taking aim at the politics of Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, he alleged that an attempt was being made to create a rift among Hindus by raising the ‘Marathi versus non-Marathi’ issue. Even at that time, political debate in Maharashtra was intensifying over language, local identity, and people arriving from other states.
Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)
