Connect with us
Monday,14-September-2026
Breaking News

National News

Raj Thackeray urges Fadnavis govt to withdraw decision to introduce Hindi as 3rd language in schools

Published

on

Mumbai, April 17: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday took strong objection to the Devendra Fadnavis-led state government’s move to introduce Hindi as a compulsory language in Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English schools, saying that “the party will not allow the Centre’s current efforts to ‘Hindi-fy’ everything to succeed in Maharashtra”.

He also announced that the MNS would not tolerate this compulsion while appealing to the state government to immediately withdraw this decision.

In his post on X, Thackeray said: “I request all my Marathi mothers, sisters and brothers in Maharashtra as well as all my brothers and sisters working in Marathi newspapers and Marathi news channels to condemn and oppose this without any debate! And yes, if other political parties in Maharashtra have even a little love for the Marathi language, they will also oppose this. Today they are forcing languages, tomorrow they will issue other forced fatwas.”

He further said: “We will not allow the Central government’s current efforts to ‘Hindi-fy’ everything to succeed in this state. Hindi is not a national language. It is a state language like other languages in the country. Why should it be taught in Maharashtra from the very beginning? Whatever your trilingual formula is, limit it to government affairs, do not bring it to education.

“The formation of linguistic regions was done in this country, and it lasted for so many years. But why have you just now started imposing the language of another region on Maharashtra?

“Every language is beautiful and there is a long history and tradition behind its formation. And its respect should be maintained in the state where it is the language. Just as Marathi should be respected by other speakers in Maharashtra, so should all speakers of that language be respected in other states. It is our insistence that even the Marathi people living in other states should consider the language of that state as their own. But if you are going to ignore this and try to ruin the linguistic tradition of this country, we do not accept it,” the MNS chief said.

“We are Hindus but not Hindi! If you try to paint Maharashtra as Hindi, then there is bound to be a struggle in Maharashtra. If you look at all this, you will realise that the government is deliberately creating this struggle. Is this all an attempt to create a struggle between Marathi and non-Marathi in the upcoming elections and take advantage of it? The non-Marathi speakers of this state should also understand this plan of the government. It is not that they have any special love for your language. They want to burn their own political coals by inciting you,” he warned.

“Today, the state’s financial situation is dire, the government has no money left for schemes. Marathi youth are waiting for jobs. They (MahaYuti alliance) said before the elections that they would waive off loans, but later they did not do so. Therefore, the farmers who were hoping for loan waiver are disappointed. And it is as if the industry has turned its back on Maharashtra. When there is nothing to say or show concretely, then the British mantra of divide and rule is being used here, steps are being taken by the government to raise suspicions,” the MNS chief said.

He further wondered: “Well, why force Hindi in Maharashtra? Will you force Hindi in a southern state like this? And if you do, the governments there will be outraged. The state government and its constituent parties tolerate all this silently, so this is being forced here. We don’t know about the rest and we don’t care, but the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena will not tolerate this.”

Raj Thackeray said that the school administration should take note that the compulsion to learn Hindi language from first grade will not be tolerated in Maharashtra. Hindi books from the school curriculum will not be sold in shops and schools and will not be allowed to distribute those books to students.

“In every state, only their official language should be respected! Tomorrow, will Marathi language be taught from the first grade in all states? No, right? Then why this compulsion here? I appeal to the government not to stress this issue. But if you are going to impose Hindi, then the struggle is inevitable and only the government will be responsible for it. Therefore, the government should respect the sentiments of the people and order to immediately withdraw this decision,” he said.

Crime

Two apprehended for firing at house in Nand Nagri to create fear

Published

on

New Delhi, Sep 14: The Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of North-East District Police worked out a firing incident reported under the jurisdiction of Nand Nagri Police Station by apprehending two accused persons who allegedly fired at a complainant’s house to create fear.

The accused were identified with the help of extensive CCTV footage analysis and technical investigation.

According to police, on September 4, two unidentified persons riding a scooty fired at the complainant’s house in the Nand Nagri area with the intention of creating fear and fled from the spot.

Following the incident, FIR No. 485/26 dated September 4 was registered at Nand Nagri Police Station under relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act, and an investigation was initiated.

Considering the seriousness of the incident, the AATS team of North-East District was tasked with identifying and apprehending those involved.

A dedicated team led by Inspector Deepak Pandey, In-charge of AATS/NED, analysed numerous CCTV recordings and developed clues through technical investigation and other sources. Sustained efforts and detailed examination of the available evidence helped the team identify the suspects.

On September 12, acting on a specific tip-off, the AATS team conducted a raid in the Sunder Nagri area and apprehended Azim Khan. During interrogation, his associate Imran alias Rahul was also apprehended at his instance. Both accused were subsequently handed over to the local police for further legal proceedings.

Police said Imran alias Rahul, 25, son of Ibrahim and a resident of Bhopra Chowk, Siddqi Building, Uttar Pradesh, was previously involved in two theft cases.

Azim Khan, 36, son of Illiyas and a resident of Gali No. 1, Sunder Nagri, Delhi, has nine previous cases registered against him, involving murder, attempt to murder, culpable homicide, robbery, snatching, rape, kidnapping, theft and offences under the Arms Act. He is a Bad Character of Nand Nagri Police Station.

Further investigation into the case by the police is underway.

Continue Reading

Business

India okays 18 hours a day power supply to Nepal till Dec 31

Published

on

New Delhi, Sep 14: India has approved a proposal to supply power to Nepal for 18 hours a day till December 31 this year, following the extensive damage caused to the Himalayan country’s hydropower projects in the devastating flash floods, an official statement said on Monday.

“The Ministry of Power has accorded approval for the export of power, for 18 hours a day to Nepal Electricity Authority till December 31, 2026,” according to the statement.

Approval has been given for up to 600MW of export through Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar 400 kV D/c line and up to 54 MW through Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 kV S/c line. The quantum of power to be exported from January 2027 will be reviewed in December, 2026, the statement said.

The recent floods have caused significant damage to hydropower infrastructure in Nepal, reducing its domestic power generation capacity and creating an additional requirement for electricity.

The approval will help Nepal meet its power requirements during this difficult period and further strengthen the close and longstanding energy cooperation between India and Nepal, the statement explained.

“India remains committed to supporting Nepal and strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector,” the statement added.

India also intensified its humanitarian assistance to Nepal in the wake of the floods, delivering relief material and deploying personnel to support search, rescue, and forensic operations. Indian Air Force aircraft were used to carry relief and rescue supplies to Kathmandu.

The country also dispatched specialised technical gear, including mud rescue suits, gas detectors, breathing apparatus, inflatable walkways, portable generators, lighting towers, and dewatering pumps. India has provided DNA kits, reagents, and equipment for DNA profiling to aid in victim identification.

Meanwhile, the death toll from flash floods has risen to 1,386, with more bodies recovered from eight affected districts.

The floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 104 of the recovered bodies have so far been identified and handed over to families. Around 5,130 people are still reported missing.

Security forces continue search and rescue operations. More than 13,700 people have been rescued so far, while 339 people are undergoing treatment in hospitals.

Continue Reading

Crime

‘Felt unsafe’: Woman biker alleges car attack after asking occupants to maintain distance in Gurugram

Published

on

Gurugram, Sep 14: A woman biker in Haryana’s Gurugram has alleged that a car repeatedly followed her before hitting her motorcycle and fleeing the spot, leaving her shaken and raising concerns over road safety in the city.

“I have nothing to say, but today I felt unsafe on Gurugram roads. People like these aren’t afraid of hitting people and running away,” the woman said after the incident.

The rider, who identifies herself as Sia and operates the Instagram page ‘rebelwheels_sia_’, uploaded footage of the incident on social media and described what she said happened before the collision.

According to Sia, the incident occurred on Sunday while she was riding her Aprilia RS 457 sports bike along Golf Course Road with members of her biking group.

In the video, she alleged that the occupants of a car had been following her from the beginning of the ride. She claimed that the people inside the vehicle behaved aggressively and attempted to get close to her motorcycle.

Sia said she asked the occupants to maintain a safe distance, but instead, they allegedly asked her to stop. She also claimed that the men appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.

The rider said she continued moving ahead in an attempt to prevent the car from cutting her off. A friend riding behind her also tried to intervene by positioning his motorcycle in a way that prevented the car from repeatedly coming alongside her.

Despite this, Sia alleged, the car continued following her. She claimed that at one point, the driver attempted to cut across the path of her motorcycle, resulting in a collision.

The impact knocked Sia off her bike, while her motorcycle was dragged several metres along the road. The car then reportedly left the area.

The incident was captured on an action camera fitted to Sia’s motorcycle.

She further alleged that one of her friends pursued the car and attempted to stop the driver. The vehicle eventually halted at a traffic signal, where the friend confronted the driver and allegedly told him that he was responsible for the collision.

However, according to Sia, the driver denied causing the accident and subsequently drove away from the traffic signal.

In a social media post, Sia appealed to the Gurugram Police to take action against motorists who allegedly put other road users at risk and flee after causing accidents.

She also shared the vehicle’s registration number and identified the registered owner mentioned in the vehicle’s registration certificate.

The video subsequently gained significant attention online, with social media users expressing support for the rider and calling for action against the alleged driver. Several users tagged the Delhi Police, Gurugram Police, Gurugram Traffic Police and Haryana Police, urging authorities to investigate the incident.

Some users also called for an FIR to be registered, while others highlighted concerns over rash driving and the safety of motorists, particularly on busy roads in Gurugram.

Continue Reading

Trending