Jawed Khurshid

Eknath Khadse – a cabinet minister holding dual portfolio, Agriculture and Minority Affairs, has directed the Marathi schools across the state to teach Urdu along with other prescribed languages.

“I’ve asked them to develop a provision to teach Urdu till class tenth in Maharashtra,” the minister told the reporters.

Khadse’s initiative is seen by many as providing fig leaf to minorities simply to whitewash the saffron party’s communal image. However, a majority of Muslims appreciated the friendly gesture of the minister.

“The minister’s sudden love for Urdu baffles us as the party was indicted of organizing violence against the minorities in the past,” a prominent Muslim cleric Allama  Bunai Noaim Hasani told this reporter.

“However, this reflects positive signal from a rightist party,” he added.