Summary:
- Uddhav and Raj Thackeray appeared together in Mumbai after two decades, marking a rare show of unity to oppose the imposition of Hindi as a third language in schools.
- The ‘Awaj Marathicha’ rally is being framed as a cultural and political response to the Mahayuti government’s rollback under pressure.
- The event signals a potential Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance ahead of the BMC elections, reshaping Maharashtra’s political landscape.
A Linguistic Truce, A Political Earthquake: Why the Thackeray Reunion Matters Now
In a move that electrified Maharashtra’s political circles, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray shared the same platform for the first time in 20 years, reigniting a debate that lies at the heart of the state’s identity, linguistic pride and cultural assertion. The rally, titled ‘Awaj Marathicha’ (Voice of the Marathi), wasn’t just a symbolic reunion of two estranged cousins but a calculated act of political positioning in response to a controversial education policy proposal.
The Mahayuti coalition government’s now-reversed push to introduce Hindi as a compulsory third language in Maharashtra’s primary schools provoked outrage among linguistic purists and Marathi-first campaigners. But it also created the perfect flashpoint for two ideologically overlapping yet organisationally distant factions—Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena—to join forces. The resulting spectacle was more than nostalgic; it hinted at a potential recalibration of the state’s opposition dynamics just ahead of the crucial BMC elections.
Raj’s barbed speech from the stage was laced with cultural provocation and political warnings. “You may have power in the Vidhan Bhawan, we have power on the roads,” he declared, underscoring the shift from legislative politics to street mobilisation. It wasn’t merely a rally for Marathi; it was a declaration that Maharashtra’s cultural federalism still has teeth—and perhaps, a common Thackeray bite.
मराठी माणसाची जाग कायम ठेवूया, आपली एकजूट भक्कम करूया! | UddhavSaheb Thackeray | भव्य विजयी मेळावा | एन. एस. सी. आय. डोम, वरळी, मुंबई – #LIVE https://t.co/wnSuF8Kdj6
— Office of Uddhav Thackeray (@OfficeofUT) July 5, 2025
From Estranged Kin to Strategic Allies
- Raj and Uddhav Thackeray last shared a public platform in 2005 during the Malvan by-election campaign.
- Their fallout stemmed from internal Shiv Sena rifts following Bal Thackeray’s decision to anoint Uddhav as political heir.
- The ‘Awaj Marathicha’ rally has revived memories of a united Sena and the legacy politics of Shivaji Park.
- Both leaders presented a common front against linguistic imposition by the central government.
- The timing of the rally aligns with upcoming local elections, suggesting electoral motivations beyond cultural symbolism.
The split between Raj and Uddhav Thackeray in 2005 was seen as one of the most dramatic family-political ruptures in Indian regional politics. What began as an ideological divergence quickly turned into a turf war for the Sena legacy, with Raj forming the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) amid claims of humiliation and disrespect within the Shiv Sena.
Two decades on, Maharashtra’s linguistic battlefield has changed—but the players remain eerily familiar. In opposing the imposition of Hindi as a compulsory language in state-run primary schools, the cousins have discovered a rare confluence of purpose. Their joint appearance, therefore, is not merely a nostalgia-laden flashback; it is a strategic re-entry into mainstream relevance.
Raj’s speech was particularly stinging. He blamed the Modi-led central government for pushing the Hindi agenda and sarcastically credited Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis with doing what “Bal Thackeray could not”—reunite the cousins. Whether this was a rhetorical flourish or a backhanded compliment, it underscored the emotional and political volatility still simmering beneath the surface.
Hindi in Maharashtra Schools: A Battle Beyond Curriculum
- The Mahayuti government had earlier proposed mandatory Hindi as a third language in primary education.
- The proposal faced sharp backlash from Marathi cultural groups and political opposition, including Uddhav and Raj.
- Critics argue the move was part of a larger centralising agenda that undermines federal linguistic diversity.
- The rollback is seen as a direct result of sustained political pressure and grassroots mobilisation.
- Raj Thackeray called Hindi a “200-year-old language” and questioned its dominance in Maharashtra.
The language policy rollback has reignited concerns over cultural homogenisation under the guise of national integration. Maharashtra, long seen as a bastion of sub-national identity, has historically resisted any perceived dilution of its Marathi heritage. The recent push to include Hindi as a mandatory third language was perceived by many as a top-down imposition that undermined the linguistic autonomy of the state.
For Raj Thackeray, the issue offered fertile ground to revive his party’s traditional plank of Marathi pride and regional assertion. His rhetoric—calling Hindi a mere “200-year-old language” and issuing veiled warnings against any attempt to “put hands on Mumbai or Maharashtra”—reaffirmed the MNS’s core ideological DNA. Uddhav, for his part, stayed more measured but no less firm in rejecting the imposition.
What makes this battle over curriculum particularly consequential is that it has transcended the education department and become a proxy for broader identity politics. In the context of Modi-era centralisation, the issue has assumed the flavour of a localised resistance against the cultural arm of nationalism. And as the Shiv Sena and MNS re-emerge as defenders of Marathi asmita, the BMC elections could serve as their litmus test.
इयत्ता पहिलीपासून तीन भाषा शिकवण्याच्या नावाखाली हिंदी भाषा लहान मुलांवर लादण्याचा सरकारचा प्रयत्न होता, तो प्रयत्न मराठी माणसाच्या एकजुटीने हाणून पाडला. काल २९ जून २०२५ ला सरकारने हा निर्णय मागे घेण्याची घोषणा केली. यानंतर आज ३० जून २०२५ रोजी माध्यमांशी संवाद साधला.
— Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) June 30, 2025
हा मराठी… pic.twitter.com/uI0Gdw9oy4
All Eyes on the BMC: Rallying for Votes and Identity
- The rally’s proximity to the BMC elections is politically strategic, not incidental.
- Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have lost influence in Mumbai’s civic politics over the years.
- This united front could challenge the BJP and Mahayuti’s hold over the city.
- Cultural mobilisation around language may galvanise Marathi voters disenchanted with coalition politics.
- The revived alliance could influence alliances and voter segmentation in Mumbai’s evolving political landscape.
The political implications of the Thackeray cousins’ reunion go far beyond symbolism. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is not just Asia’s richest municipal body—it is a fortress of political prestige in Maharashtra. Both the Shiv Sena and the MNS have suffered setbacks in Mumbai over the past decade, and the BJP’s expanding influence has only made electoral returns harder for both factions.
By reuniting on the cultural front, Uddhav and Raj are signalling a potential electoral strategy that draws from their combined Marathi voter base. The ‘Awaj Marathicha’ rally thus serves two purposes: resisting a cultural policy seen as externally imposed, and consolidating political capital in anticipation of upcoming polls.
Whether this newfound unity holds beyond the rally stage remains to be seen. Old wounds may not heal with one slogan, but shared enemies and common causes have historically birthed strange alliances. If the cousins translate their cultural convergence into a political pact, it could significantly complicate the Mahayuti’s arithmetic in urban Maharashtra.
Not Just a Family Photo-Op
The ‘Awaj Marathicha’ rally may have been framed as a linguistic protest, but its implications ripple far beyond grammar and syntax. In a political climate where regional identities are often pressured by national narratives, the Thackeray cousins’ reunion reaffirms the power of cultural politics in India’s federal democracy. Their handshake—figurative and literal—could redraw electoral equations, revive a dormant brand of regionalism, and reintroduce a more assertive Marathi voice into the national conversation.
Only time will tell if this rare alliance is sustainable. But for now, it speaks a language every voter in Maharashtra understands: asmita, legacy, and the fight to belong.
