Our breath is Marathi, we're connecting Mumbai with the world: Eknath Shinde

Mumbai, July 18 (IANS) Amid ongoing controversy over the introduction of Hindi from grade one, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the state council on Friday said that “our breath is Marathi and we are connecting Mumbai with the world". He also rebutted Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray’s charge of separating Mumbai from Maharashtra saying that Mumbai will remain in Maharashtra.

He also reminded Thackeray that during his tenure as chief minister, the Cabinet had accepted a high-powered committee's report recommending introduction of Marathi as compulsory language along with Marathi and English from grade 1 to 12.

In his reply to a last week motion moved by the opposition parties, Shinde said: “We are fulfilling the dream of Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray by establishing a Marathi University in Riddhapur. We are establishing a Sant University for Warkaris. A magnificent Marathi language building is being built in south Mumbai. A Marathi language sub-centre is being built at Airoli, Navi Mumbai. Our government has approved the Marathi language policy. The central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared Marathi language as a classical language.”

“Every year, a World Marathi Conference is organised to make Marathi language reach the world. It has been decided to start a poetry village in every district. Our government has started a Marathi state song. We are resolved to bring back the Marathi people, who have been thrown out of Mumbai, back to the city,” he added.

Shinde also refuted the Opposition’s charge with regard to deterioration of law and order situation in the state saying that the government has taken a slew of measures to maintain law and order and government’s efforts have paid off.

In order to curb rapes and crime against women, he said that Women's police cells have been established at all police commissionerates and Superintendent of Police levels, and Rs 1 lakh has been provided to each police station in the Nirbhaya Fund.

A 24x7 dedicated helpline is operating for women. Cases of atrocities against women are disposed of through 27 special courts.

“The government has issued orders to establish 138 fast track courts for Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) cases. Currently, 20 POCSO and 12 fast track special courts are operating. A toll free helpline 1098 has also been started for complaints of atrocities against children. A total of 196 people have been arrested in Operation Black Face for uploading obscene videos of children,” he said.

Shinde also said that so far, 1,060 Bangladeshi infiltrators were arrested.

Similarly, 365 citizens have been deported. Stating that LWE activities have been controlled, he said that 22 Maoists have been arrested in 2023, 19 in 2024 and 13 till May 2025.

About 28 Maoists were killed in the operations carried out last year, out of which eight of their key leaders have died, while seven Maoists have died by the end of May.

--IANS

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