Maharashtra: Activists propose penalty for failing to make Marathi compulsory in schools

After a string of protests in June over making Marathi compulsory up to Class XII in all schools of all educational boards, Marathi language activists have prepared a draft bill that proposes a penalty of up to Rs 10,000 on a school for failing to introduce the language.

The draft bill, prepared by the Marathichya Bhalyasathi — a platform of 24 organisations working towards the development of the language – proposes a fine of Rs 5,000 for the first violation, Rs 10,000 for the second and a higher penalty, including cancellation of permission and no-objection certificate (NOC) for the third violation.

It also says that Marathi would be compulsory in the schools of all educational boards, which includes government aided and non-aided schools.

In last week of June, a delegation of Marathi writers, including veteran writer Madhu Mangesh Karnik, author and former president of All India Marathi Literature Meet Laxmikant Deshmukh, had met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to press for their demands in the matter.

One the key demands of the group was to make Marathi compulsory in schools of all boards apart from granting ‘classical status’ to the language, and building a Language Bhavan. Fadnavis had promised to look into their demands.

Deshmukh, executive president of Marathichya Bhalyasathi, said the draft bill has been prepared to seek suggestions from all the Marathi lovers, writers, artists, language and literature institutions, schools, colleges and others.

“The deadline to submit the suggestions is August 15. We will then take a call on whether to make any amendments in the draft bill. We have asked Marathi language lovers, institutions and organisations to pass a resolution to recommend that it be made a law,” Deshmukh said.

“We want the state government to promulgate an ordinance to make it a law before the code of conduct comes into force for assembly polls,” he added.