Ram Shinde: Make Marathi certificate course compulsory for Maharashtra jobseekers

Nashik: Chairman of the Maharashtra legislative council Ram Shinde on Sunday said a certificate course in the Marathi language should be launched and made compulsory for jobseekers from outside Maharashtra before they get employment in the state.Shinde was addressing the gathering at the 4th World Marathi Conference, which concluded in Nashik on Sunday. Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and Marathi language minister Uday Samant addressed the gathering virtually, while former CJI Justice Bhushan Gavai, Ram Shinde, education minister Dada Bhuse, deputy mayor Vilas Shinde and others were present at the concluding programme of the conference."We need to evaluate how many of the officers, politicians and the office-bearers use the Marathi language for communication. If the answer is unsatisfactory, then I think a law should be enacted to make it compulsory," said MLC Shinde.He noted that a large number of people have been seeking their livelihood in Maharashtra. "To strengthen the language, govt should take the help of Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, which could plan a short course in Marathi that could be taken up by jobseekers coming from outside Maharashtra." Education minister Dada Bhuse, while addressing the gathering, said: "There are many people who only talk about ways to save Marathi schools, another set that underlines the ways to do it, but when it comes to the self, very few contribute. We will have to start from the ‘self' and ensure that our children go to Marathi schools. If this happens, soon there will be a drastic change."Former CJI Bhushan Gavai said he did his schooling in a Marathi school. "I am proud that I got the opportunity to be the Chief Justice of India and got an opportunity to speak about my country, my language, and the Constitution of India in front of the world."Earlier in the day, depuy chairperson of the council Neelam Gorhe addressed the gathering. Various cultural programmes were also organised during the conference.