After nearly 20 years, the two Thackeray cousins reunited on one platform. On July 5, Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) and Raj Thackeray’s MNS planned a joint road rally in Mumbai to oppose the imposition of Hindi and promote Marathi as the primary language.
The cousins split in 2006 when Raj Thackeray formed the MNS, creating a long-standing divide in the Thackeray family. After the Shiv Sena further split into the Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Balasaheb factions, many in Mumbai eagerly awaited this moment of unity.
Both leaders emphasized that their fight was not against Hindi, but against its forced imposition, insisting Marathi should remain Mumbai’s primary language.
While language was not originally a major issue, rising migration from North and South India made knowledge of Marathi essential in workplaces, sometimes leading to MNS-led attacks on non-Marathi speakers.
Importantly, they clarified they do not oppose Hindi as a subject in schools, where English, Hindi, Marathi, and other languages are offered.
Across India, States prioritize their mother tongues while accepting Hindi and English as additional languages. The joint stance of the Thackeray cousins is clear: languages should be learned naturally, not forced, or they risk losing their true value.
