Pune: “If You Stay in Maharashtra, You Must Know Marathi,” Says Ajit Pawar
Reported By Varad Bhatkhande
Pimpri-Chinchwad, 18th April 2025: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar made a bold statement while speaking to the media, asserting that “if you want to live in Maharashtra, you must know Marathi.” His remarks come amid growing linguistic assertiveness across several Indian states and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) launching a statewide campaign promoting the use of Marathi.
Ajit Pawar was in Pimpri-Chinchwad today to inaugurate the Chapekar Memorial alongside Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. During his media interaction, he addressed the recent Gudi Padwa speech by MNS Chief Raj Thackeray, who urged party workers to ensure Marathi is being spoken in every establishment. This comes amid a broader national debate on the imposition of Marathi and Hindi in various states.
When asked about the issue, Ajit Pawar said, “Marathi is our mother tongue. There is no second thought about that. Everyone loves their mother tongue—it should be preserved. Marathi has received cultural language status from the Narendra Modi government. No one else did it, only the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.”
He further added, “If you want to live in Maharashtra, you should know Marathi. In some other states, Hindi is spoken. Whether Hindi is a national language or not is still being debated. Those who are jobless are creating these controversies and spend their time in it. English and Hindi are spoken across India, but all three languages should be embraced—with priority given to one’s mother tongue.”
