Mumbai: Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan has stressed the need to stay away from spreading linguistic hatred, saying it would harm the state and also affect the industry and investments. The governor's comments come amid a controversy over the Mahayuti government's move to introduce Hindi as a third language for Class 1 to 5 in schools in the state.
Following strong objections from the opposition parties against the move, the state cabinet last month decided to withdraw two GRs (government orders) on the implementation of the three-language policy. Speaking at the launch of a coffee table book on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, Radhakrishnan asked, "If you come and beat me up, can I speak in Marathi immediately?" He said if such hatred is spread, no industry and investment will come to the state. "In the long run, we are doing harm to the state," he said. Recounting his own experience, the governor said when he was an MP in Tamil Nadu, he saw a group beating up another because they were not speaking in Tamil. "I am unable to understand Hindi and it is an obstacle for me. We must learn maximum languages and we must also be proud of our mother tongue," he said. Reacting to the governor's comments, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said there is no linguistic hatred in the state and there is no need to make political comments.