Auto unions welcome Marathi extension, Sanjay Raut attacks Fadnavis move
Autorickshaw and taxi unions have welcomed the Maharashtra government's decision to give drivers one year to acquire working knowledge of Marathi, saying the extended deadline removes the immediate threat to their livelihoods. The move, however, has drawn criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who alleged that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the extension under "pressure from Delhi".
Fadnavis announced the one-year timeline on Thursday after a delegation representing migrant, non-Marathi-speaking drivers met him at Sahyadri Guest House. He said no action would be taken against drivers during the extended period.
The decision came after the state government had earlier made functional Marathi a requirement for commercial vehicle drivers. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had said drivers who failed the language test would initially get one month to acquire the required proficiency, after which their badges could be suspended for three months.
Raut alleged that the rollback was politically motivated and claimed the move was intended to send a message to Mahayuti allies that they must follow the person who "succeeds the CM". He also challenged Shiv Sena ministers to oppose the decision.
Political observers have linked the timing of the announcement to next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, given the sizeable population of migrant workers from the state among Mumbai's commercial drivers. Raut, however, maintained that the issue was fundamentally about the Marathi language.
The extension has been welcomed by driver unions. Mumbai Taximen's Association leader Prem Singh said many drivers are above 60 and would have found it difficult to learn Marathi within a short deadline, while some already understand the language. Seva Sarathi Taxi Rickshaw Transport Union leader DM Gosavi said the additional time would help drivers learn Marathi without the immediate fear of losing their livelihood.
The unions said they have already begun organising Marathi classes and will use the extended period to help drivers meet the requirement.
The Maharashtra government had announced in April that commercial vehicle drivers must have functional knowledge of Marathi and had initially set August 15 as the deadline. The Transport Department subsequently issued notices to drivers who failed Marathi "working knowledge" tests conducted by RTO officials.
The latest decision came a day after Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde distributed certificates to around 20,000 autorickshaw and taxi drivers who had completed a Marathi language course in Mumbai.
A retired transport official, however, questioned the implementation of the requirement, saying the rules did not clearly define what constituted "working knowledge" of Marathi. A senior RTO official said the one-year extension would also ease the enforcement burden on officials, who otherwise could have spent several months dealing with cases arising from the requirement.
with inputs from PTI