Mumbai, June 19 -- Hindi will not be a compulsory third language in Maharashtra state board schools, but it will be the default choice unless at least 20 students in a class opt for an alternative language, according to a government resolution (GR) issued by the state school education department on Tuesday. According to the GR, Hindi will no longer be compulsory, but it will "in general" be the third language for Classes 1-5 in Marathi- and English-medium schools. Schools or parents may choose an alternative Indian language, provided that at least 20 students in a class opt for it. This comes months after the Maharashtra government's proposal to make Hindi compulsory starting from Class 1 triggered criticism from educationists and opposition political parties, who considered it an imposition of Hindi and an undermining of Marathi. Opposition leaders accused the Mahayuti government of "stabbing Maharashtra and the Marathi language in the heart". Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray led the charge against the government's order. He appealed to state schools not to implement the order, saying that "imposing Hindi would be treated as an anti-Maharashtra activity." P4...