Mumbai, Jan 14 (PTI) The Bharatiya Janata Party’s approach to Marathi is inclusive and pluralistic, encompassing the language, culture and identity, while the opposition’s stance is negative, Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan said on Wednesday.
Speaking to the media a day before elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and 28 other civic bodies in the state, he said the BJP views Marathi not narrowly but in a broader, collective sense, aimed at spreading positivity and promoting Marathi language, literature and culture.
The opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, headed by cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, have made the issue of Marathi identity central to their campaign for the BMC, claiming that Maharashtrians would be marginalised in the city if the BJP won.
“Our outlook on Marathi is inclusive and expansive, focused on propagation and enrichment of the language, literature and culture,” Chavan said.
Marathi should not be politicised as politics over language is not a constructive exercise, he added.
Notably, the Sena (UBT) and MNS came together for the first time last year to oppose the BJP-led state government’s decision to introduce Hindi in schools from the first standard. The decision was later revoked.
“The opposition’s approach to Marathi is filled with negativity and does not reflect commitment to the universal principle of ‘Vishwatmaka Deva’ (universal God) articulated by saint Dnyaneshwar,” said the BJP leader.
The BJP in Maharashtra and the Marathi-speaking community are not separate entities, he asserted, adding that the party’s ideology is rooted in the thought process of its parent organisation (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) which was founded by Marathi people.
The BJP has consistently worked to build the nation and society inspired by the ideas of B R Ambedkar, V D Savarkar and Bal Thackeray, all eminent Marathi-speaking leaders, he said. PTI ND KRK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.