'We don't oppose Hindi, but only its imposition', Uddhav Thackeray amid 'GR burning' protest

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said his party does not oppose Hindi but only its "imposition". He was talking to reporters after copies of the June 17 government resolution on the three language policy for schools was burnt at a well-attended protest event in south Mumbai. The Shiv Sena (UBT) also held similar protests across the state. "We have burnt the copies of the GR which means we don't accept it. We don't oppose Hindi but we will not allow its imposition. The government does not understand the reason behind the morcha. Injustice has been meted to Marathi. The question is how much pressure are you going to put on students," he said. The former chief minister also said the July 5 morcha on the issue, being held jointly by his party and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, will be grand. On June 17, the Maharashtra government issued a GR making Hindi "generally" the third language, and not mandatory, for Classes 1 to 5 in English and Marathi medium schools.