Overview

• Bollywood personality Shikhar Pahariya posted a detailed Instagram note on July 9 condemning the use of intimidation to enforce Marathi.
• He argued that any language, including Marathi, must be preserved without sacrificing human dignity or resorting to fear.
• Pahariya emphasized that ‘asmita,’ a sense of identity and self-respect, should foster inclusion and pride rather than division.
• His intervention follows the Maharashtra government’s rollback of its April policy making Hindi compulsory in schools and ongoing reports of MNS workers harassing non-Marathi speakers in Mumbai and Pune.
• The statement has underscored tensions between cultural identity and migrant rights, prompting renewed calls for inclusive methods to preserve Marathi heritage.