On Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah conducted a review of the new criminal laws’ implementation in Chhattisgarh alongside Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.

The two leaders addressed various critical issues, including the eradication of Naxalism, the overall development of the Bastar region, and strategies to enhance security and justice systems in the state.

Present at the meeting were several senior officials from the Union Home Ministry and the Chhattisgarh government, including Home Minister Vijay Sharma.

During the discussions, they examined the Indian Judicial Code, Indian Civil Defense Code, and Indian Evidence Act, while also assessing the implementation and status of new provisions related to policing, prisons, the judiciary, prosecution, and forensic systems.

Chief Minister Sai provided updates on the preparations for the effective roll-out of new criminal laws, stating that administrative and technical requirements have been met. A total of 27 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines are now in effect across the state. Furthermore, approximately 37,385 police personnel have been trained under this new legal framework. Infrastructure at courts, police stations, and jails has been upgraded to support e-evidence handling and video conferencing. Since the laws came into effect, 53,981 FIRs have been registered, with charge sheets filed in about 50% of the cases.

The meeting also focused on special strategies to achieve a lasting resolution to the Naxal issue. The Chief Minister reported that recent operations have resulted in the deaths, arrests, or surrenders of many wanted Naxalites. Initiatives like the Niyad Nelanar Yojana, Bastar Olympics, Women Security Center, and enhancements in homestay and tourism infrastructure in tribal areas have played a significant role in engaging youth with the mainstream.

He reiterated the state government’s commitment to making Chhattisgarh Naxal-free by 2026 and underscored rapid progress toward establishing Bastar as a major tourist destination in India.

Emphasizing adherence to the Central Government’s guidelines, the Chief Minister assured that Chhattisgarh would take a proactive role in the successful implementation of this significant legal reform initiative.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the Chhattisgarh government’s efforts thus far and stressed the necessity for complete implementation of the new criminal laws as soon as possible. He highlighted the importance of coordination and efficiency, emphasizing that the goal of the new legal framework is to create a judicial system that is simpler, quicker, and more focused on the needs of the people.

Notable attendees at the meeting included Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain, Director General of Police Arun Dev Gautam, Additional Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Pingua, Inspector General of Police Sushil Dwivedi, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Subodh Kumar Singh, Secretary Rahul Bhagat, Principal Secretary of Law Rajneesh Shrivastava, Secretary Home Neha Champawat, and several other officials.

Delhi BJP leader Virendra Sachdeva declared on Monday that the city will soon welcome a BJP Mayor, leading to the establishment of a triple-engine government that will streamline municipal services across Delhi. He characterized the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) decision not to contest the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections as an acknowledgment of their certain defeat, asserting that this move is not a noble political sacrifice.

The BJP chief criticized AAP representatives Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi for holding a press conference to accuse the BJP of poaching councillors to seize power in the MCD, calling their statements not only absurd but also an attempt to deflect blame for their political and administrative failings onto the BJP.

Sachdeva noted that many councillors, who were elected on AAP tickets in 2022, entered office with optimism and a strong commitment to public service. However, he claimed that AAP leaders failed to fully constitute the Municipal Corporation for two and a half years, which led to a halt in all developmental and administrative activities of the civic body. He argued that those AAP councillors who recognized their obligations to the people ultimately left the party out of disillusionment with their leadership’s persistent obstruction of MCD operations.

On a related note, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor remarked that whenever AAP leaders mention “Operation Lotus,” they mistakenly believe they are targeting the BJP politically. Instead, he argued, they end up tarnishing the reputations of their own legislators and councillors. Kapoor also reminded Atishi and Bharadwaj that their councillors resigned from the party while still in power, highlighting the fact that during the opposition period from 2017 to 2022, significant defections were absent, indicating that the councillors did not leave for power, but rather to pursue developmental initiatives.

In related news, AAP announced on Monday that it will not partake in the upcoming mayoral election for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) scheduled for April 25, citing a lack of fair electoral opportunities.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday softened his earlier stance regarding the mandatory teaching of Hindi in all state schools. He addressed concerns about the “imposition” of Hindi, stating that only Marathi would be mandated in schools. He also mentioned that students in Class 1 would now have the option to select languages other than Hindi.

However, a resolution issued by the Maharashtra government on April 17 had already designated Hindi as a compulsory third language for students from classes 1 to 5 starting in the 2026-27 academic year, and the new syllabus in line with the National Education Policy is set to take effect this year.

Fadnavis commented, “It is incorrect to claim that there are efforts to impose Hindi. Marathi will remain compulsory in Maharashtra, and there will be no additional requirements. Hindi will not be mandatory,” he shared with reporters in Pune. This statement came shortly after the state’s Marathi Language Department’s language advisory committee requested him to retract the decision mandating Hindi.

He also expressed surprise at the opposition to Indian languages like Hindi, suggesting that people tend to embrace English more. “Why do we hold English in higher regard than our own languages?” Fadnavis queried.

His retreat followed criticism from nearly all opposition parties in Maharashtra about the proposal to teach Hindi from Class 1. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena declared its intention to prevent the Fadnavis government from enforcing Hindi in schools, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, initiated protests and hung banners opposing the move.

The Congress party accused the government of attempting to undermine the Marathi language, identity, and culture by making Hindi compulsory. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar, warned that disregarding Marathi under the guise of the New Education Policy would not be tolerated, and the state unit of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) threatened to protest.

The issue sparked a rare alliance between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, who set aside their differences to collectively oppose the promotion of Hindi in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, Lakshmikant Deshmukh, chairman of the Maharashtra state language consultation committee, wrote to the government stating that making Hindi a mandatory subject from Class 1, alongside Marathi and English, would place an undue burden on primary school students. Copies of the letter were sent to Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, as well as to the Minister for Marathi Language, Uday Samant.

Deshmukh pointed out, “No language has been made compulsory under the National Education Policy. On the contrary, the NEP advocates for education to be delivered in one’s mother tongue. Therefore, enforcing Hindi as a third language is inappropriate.” He noted that the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) did not consult the Maharashtra state language advisory committee before finalizing the language policy.

The committee, consisting of linguists, language scholars, and educators, argued that introducing Hindi at this level is not educationally appropriate. Deshmukh emphasized, “Teaching Hindi as a third language from Class 1 is unnecessary and contradicts established educational principles. We formally request the chief minister to review this decision to avoid overburdening students.”

In the past, several educational organizations, including the Marathi Abhyas Kendra, Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary Principals’ Association, and Maharashtra Progressive Teachers’ Association, have also written to the state’s education minister requesting a retraction of the decision.

Furthermore, senior educationist Ramesh Panse has endorsed their concerns in support of the letter. These organizations opined that Hindi should only be made compulsory in Maharashtra once northern states commit to teaching Marathi or a Dravidian language, insisting, “North Indians should learn Marathi more than Maharashtrians need to learn Hindi.”

The Marathi Ekikaran Samiti strongly condemned this decision, stating that Hindi cannot be classified as a national language and its compulsion constitutes linguistic imperialism, which is unfair to students.