PUNE: Hoping that the bill to make Marathi language compulsory in all schools across the State is passed in Assembly on Thursday, former IAS officer and former chairman of Marathi Sahitya Sammelan Laxmikant Deshmukh in Pune said that the Marathi movement will continue further to establish the primacy of the language in day-to-day operations and establishment of a Marathi University in the State.

He was speaking at the Pune Union of Working Journalists Public Library to commemorate Marathi Language Day, which is on Thursday (February 26). 

“Only when the bill is passed in the Assembly, the State government will be able to bring in rules, which could be implemented in schools across the State from the new academic year starting June 2020,” Deshmukh said.

He also said that it is necessary to strengthen the Marathi medium schools.

“While many people are drawn towards English because it is considered to be a global language, we must remember that English is just a medium, and knowing it doesn’t automatically make one knowledgeable. In fact, it has been proved that children learn even the complex concepts best in their first language (mother tongue),” Deshmukh added.

He further said, “The standard of an average Marathi medium school is still better than an English medium school.”

Speaking about the use of Marathi in day-to-day life, he added, “We need to bring Marathi on a larger scale for operations like in banks, post offices, Railways, etc, with English and Hindi, which are already being used. Marathi language authority needs to be formed. We will also continue to demand and work for the establishment of a Marathi university.”