Thackeray Cousins Announce Joint Protest on July 5 Against Hindi 'Imposition'

Estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will unite for the cause of the Marathi language, in a joint morcha in Mumbai on July 5 against the "imposition" of Hindi and the state government's three-language formula for Classes 1 to 5.

- AGENCIES

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) on Friday said it will support the protest march, with Pawar asserting that the people of Maharashtra are not anti-Hindi, but it is not right to impose the language on young students.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray will be seen together at the July 5 morcha, leaders of both the parties said on Friday.

Sena (UBT) sources said Uddhav has asked his party workers to burn copies of the Government Resolution (GR) on Hindi language, in a statewide protest on June 29, a day ahead of the monsoon session of the state legislature.

Students, teachers, linguists, litterateurs, celebrities, actors, sportspersons, writers, journalists and political leaders are expected to participate in the July 5 protest. Addressing separate press conferences on Thursday, both Raj and Uddhav had said that they would vehemently oppose the imposition of Hindi and the three-language formula.