In a rare show of unity after decades of political estrangement, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, the two prominent leaders from the Thackeray family, are set to come together in a joint protest march on July 5.
The protest is aimed at opposing the Maharashtra government’s controversial move to implement Hindi as a mandatory third language from Classes 1 to 5 in state-run Marathi- and English-medium schools, under the National Education Policy’s (NEP) three-language formula.
This marks the first political collaboration in over 20 years between Uddhav’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), both of which have traditionally championed the cause of the Marathi language and identity.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut announced the social media platform X, sharing a photograph of Uddhav and Raj. His post read, “There will be one united protest against the imposition of Hindi in Maharashtra schools. Jai Maharashtra!”
Initially, both leaders had announced separate rallies to oppose the policy — Raj Thackeray had declared a ‘Virat Morcha’ on July 6 starting from Girgaon Chowpatty in South Mumbai, while Uddhav Thackeray had extended support to a protest at Azad Maidan on July 7, organised by academic and activist Deepak Pawar.
The simultaneous announcements had sparked public confusion and speculation over coordination between the two camps. However, clarity emerged after Raj Thackeray personally reached out to Raut following the press conferences.
Raut explained, “When we were speaking at the press conference, we didn’t know Raj had planned a protest too. Later, Raj Saheb called and said it wouldn’t be right to organise two separate agitations for the Marathi cause. I immediately spoke to Uddhav Ji, and without hesitation, he agreed. Both decided to join forces for a single united protest on July 5.”
MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande welcomed the development, praising both leaders for prioritising Marathi pride over political differences.
“We are grateful Raj Saheb took the initiative and that Uddhav Ji responded positively. On July 5, Maharashtra will witness the strength of unity among Marathi-speaking people.
This isn’t just a protest—it’s the beginning of a new movement. It could be a Sanyukta Maharashtra Movement 2.0,” he said.
The protest stems from a Government Resolution (GR) issued on April 16, which mandated Hindi as the third language from Classes 1 to 5.
The decision faced severe criticism from educationists, linguistic activists, and regional political outfits, who saw it as an attempt to undermine the Marathi language and regional identity.
Amid the growing backlash, the Maharashtra government later issued a revised GR, withdrawing the mandatory clause and allowing students to choose an Indian language other than Hindi, provided a minimum of 20 students in a class request the change.
However, critics argue the revision still falls short of respecting regional autonomy and linguistic diversity.
Now, with two of Maharashtra’s most influential political figures standing shoulder-to-shoulder, the protest on July 5 is expected to be a major turning point in the state’s language policy discourse.
It also signals a new phase of cooperation between two factions long seen as rivals, now united by a common cultural cause.