Fadnavis sets stone for Marathi centre at JNU in Delhi

The Maharashtra chief minister said a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji will also be installed on the JNU campus

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that “people who believe in Shivaji can’t be narrow-minded about languages” as he delivered a 20-minute address entirely in Marathi at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Thursday.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at JNU campus on Thursday. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

Meanwhile, the JNU students’ union (JNUSU) called a demonstration in front of the convention centre against the Maharashtra government’s decision to introduce a three-language formula in primary schools.

Fadnavis was the chief guest for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Special Centre for Security and Strategic Studies and the inauguration of the Kusumagraj Special Centre for Marathi Language Literature and Culture.

“Marathi language is an old language and has contributed to enriching the country. Marathi language has played a key role in keeping the legacy of theatre and literature alive in the country,” Fadnavis said, expressing hope that just like in JNU, other universities also take up the initiative of teaching Marathi.

He said, “Languages cannot be a topic of dispute and discord. However, the English language is sometimes given too much significance. That brings me pain.”

The Kusumagraj Special Centre will focus on Marathi language, literature and cultural traditions and is named after the iconic Marathi poet. It will offer postgraduate and certificate programmes.

The Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Special Centre for Security and Strategic Studies will explore indigenous strategic traditions based on the Maratha empire. The centre is envisioned to become a hub for military history, strategy and future policy development rooted in India’s past.

Fadnavis said a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji will also be installed on the JNU campus.

JNU vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, meanwhile, said that the Prime Minister’s Viksit Bharat and Shivaji’s ideas of a strong India are aligned.

The Maharashtra minister for industries and Marathi language, Uday Samant and the current head of the Maratha royal family of Thanjavur and the titular king of Thanjavur, Chhatrapati Babajiraje Bhosale of the Tanjore dynasty, were also present. Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were, however, missing.

Samant described the establishment of the Marathi centre at JNU as a “historic step”. He said that a village of Marathi books would be established in Kashmir, and a Marathi global community would be formed abroad.

The JNU VC also announced a national dialogue programme titled “Sindhudurg Samvad”. Referring to the National Education Policy 2020, which promotes the study of 50 Indian languages, she urged Marathi students to seek admission to JNU.