Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray to hold joint victory rally on July 5

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray have confirmed they will hold a joint victory rally on July 5, celebrating the Maharashtra government's rollback of its order to impose Hindi as a third language from Class 1 in state schools. The rally comes after the BJP-led Mahayuti government scrapped two controversial government resolutions (GRs) on Sunday, which had sparked significant protests from pro-Marathi groups.

Addressing the media on Monday, both leaders reiterated their unwavering opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's three-language formula, stating they would continue resisting the policy regardless of any recommendations made by the state-appointed committee led by economist Narendra Jadhav.

Sources suggest the rally could either be a large public gathering at Shivaji Park or a symbolic march ending at the BMC headquarters in Fort. Initially planned as a protest, the rally was rebranded as a "victory rally" by Uddhav Thackeray after the state withdrew the GRs. He also extended invitations to the MNS, other Marathi organisations, and civil society groups to join in.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut confirmed that he had spoken with Raj Thackeray regarding the rally. Later, Raj publicly affirmed his participation, stating, “If the joint protest had happened, it would have resembled the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. This is about preserving our linguistic identity.”

Both leaders maintained that Marathi must be protected and the imposition of Hindi resisted. Raj Thackeray thanked Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (SP) for their support, adding that opposition to Hindi as a mandatory subject will continue regardless of the Jadhav committee’s report.

Uddhav Thackeray, meanwhile, questioned the government's decision to appoint an economist rather than an educationist to head the panel, saying, “We will not accept any move to force a third language, no matter what the committee recommends.”

Calling the cancellation of the GRs a political tactic to disrupt Marathi unity, Uddhav urged the community to remain vigilant: “This rally will be a show of strength and unity of the Marathi manoos. Let no one divide us again.”

The July 5 rally now serves as a major symbolic moment for Maharashtra politics, marking a rare display of unity between the once-warring Thackeray cousins in defence of regional identity.