July 19th 2023.
Mumbai International Airport Limited has promised the Bombay High Court that it will put up Marathi signboards and indicators at the city airport by November 2024. This was stated before a division bench of the court, which was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Gujarati Vichar Manch (GVM) seeking that signboards and banners in Devanagari text be displayed at the city airport along with the English language signboards.
In order to take up the PIL for hearing, the trust had to deposit a fee of ₹1 lakh as a pre-condition. During the hearing, MIAL's lawyer informed the bench that signboards will be put up in Hindi, English, and Marathi scripts by the end of next year. This is in line with two circulars issued in 2008 by the Union Home Ministry, Department of Official Language, which direct the use of Hindi and regional language at par with English on signage boards and indicators at public places.
GVM’s plea argued that language has a great unifying force and is a powerful instrument for national integration. Prominent display of English language on signage boards etc. at the airport in Mumbai is nothing but an act to foist the language on the indigenous people, it added. The petitioner sought recognition towards the official and regional language of the state of Maharashtra, as language is a highly emotional issue for the citizens of any nation. Having the regional language at par with English would lead to greater convenience to the indigenous people of Maharashtra and Indian residents who are not well acquainted with English.
In support of their plea, GVM referred to an order passed by another bench of the high court that highlighted the importance of Marathi signboards and had upheld a BMC circular directing all shops and establishments to put up signboards in Devanagari script. The order also stated that 79.28% shops and establishments displayed Marathi signboards.
This has been further reaffirmed by the Maharashtra Government, which recently committed to promoting higher education in Marathi. This was stated by the Minister for School Education, Vinod Tawde, who asserted that Marathi has to be made the language of higher education in the state. With MIAL promising to put up Marathi signboards at the city airport and the government's commitment to promote Marathi, it appears that the language will be given the due respect it deserves.
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