Cab drivers move Bombay HC against Maharashtra's Marathi language rule
Four cab drivers in Mumbai on Tuesday, August 25, moved the Bombay High Court challenging the Maharashtra government's decision to make working knowledge of Marathi mandatory for auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers, alleging that the rule violates their fundamental rights.
The public interest litigation, filed through advocate Vivek Shukla, challenged the August 12 government notification and sought a stay on its implementation, saying it could threaten the livelihoods of lakhs of poor and migrant drivers.
The petitioners Mohammed Kasim Ahmad, Mohammed Tauseef Shaikh, Siyad Ahamad and Sadik Nasir Ali Khan claimed the requirement violated their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution. They also argued that the rule was contrary to the Motor Vehicles Act, which does not prescribe any language requirement for driving licences.
The plea said the Motor Vehicles Act does not empower the state government to prescribe knowledge of a language as a qualification for drivers, a condition for obtaining a badge or permit, or a ground for suspending or cancelling a badge.
It further claimed that implementation of the rule could result in suspension of badges and cancellation of permits, putting the livelihoods of lakhs of drivers at risk.
The plea is likely to be mentioned before the Acting Chief Justice on Thursday for urgent relief.
The Maharashtra Transport Department launched a statewide drive from August 20 to assess the working knowledge of Marathi among non-Marathi-speaking taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers.
Separately, a 105-day Marathi language campaign conducted by the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh saw 1,65,601 non-Marathi-speaking drivers come forward to learn functional Marathi.
Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had last week said practical knowledge of Marathi for operating taxis and auto-rickshaws had been a requirement in Maharashtra since 1989, but was not strictly enforced. He maintained that the government had no intention of taking away anyone's livelihood and wanted people working in the state to learn and respect its language and culture.
The issue triggered protests in parts of Mumbai on Monday amid fears among drivers over rumoured steep fines. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sought to allay those concerns, saying the objective was not to make drivers language experts but to ensure they could communicate in Marathi for their work.
(With inputs from PTI)
