Mumbai, May 10: Send your children to Marathi medium-schools only. That’s the latest diktat from the Shiv Sena to Maharashtrians in general and party workers in particular. But obviously, practise what you preach is not exactly a mantra with the party’s high command. Across the Sena’s top echelons, Newsline found children in English schools. And that is known to the rank and file. The result is a simmering resentment in a party that demands unquestioning obedience from its underbelly. And unsurprisingly, the diktat has cut little ice. ‘‘They send their children to English-medium schools while our children have to be the torch bearers of Marathi culture. Why should our children be deprived of opportunities?’’ asks an angry Prashant Surve from Malad, a Sena activist since 1996. The Sena has roped in eminent personalities like scientist Vasant Gowarikar, theatre personality Bharat Dabholkar and others to argue the merits of education in the mother tongue (read Marathi). Dabholkar admits he understands the resentment. ‘‘In the competitive world, those from Marathi medium schools will lag behind, because when spoken English is poor, confidence level low,’’ he says. ‘‘They don’t think they are as good as the others.’’ To promote their Amchi Marathi campaign, the party has also tied up with prominent Marathi schools—Balmohan Vidya Mandir, Parle Tilak Vidyalaya and A B Goregaonkar—to persuade Maharashtrians to send their children to Marathi schools. Seven sub-panels, comprising academicians and counsellors, will be set up to equip students in Marathi-medium schools with skills to keep pace with English. But that’s not good enough for the party’s leaders. ‘‘My wife is a South Indian so the natural choice was an English school,’’ says Member of Parliament Mohan Rawle. Clearly, his confidence in Marathi-medium schools is not very high. ‘‘Personally, I feel that this education has made my children bolder and confident,’’ explains Rawle. ‘‘They can face any situation, their future is good and very bright.’’ Ex-chief minister Narayan Rane defends his decision too. ‘‘I wanted them to have the opportunities I did not get,’’ he says. ‘‘The combination of English and education abroad has given them a cutting edge.’’ That others may miss out on the same opportunities doesn’t seem to cause much concern.