'Know enough Marathi to carry out...': What CM Fadnavis said amid auto-taxi drivers' protest in Mumbai

Amid the Maharashtra government's crackdown on non-Marathi-speaking auto and taxi drivers, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asserted that 'efforts are being made to teach Hindi-speaking brothers Marathi'. He further clarified that Hindi-speaking drivers do not need to be proficient in the regional language and only need to know enough Marathi to communicate with passengers.

The Maharashtra CM further stated that the Mahayuti government would give enough time to drivers who want to learn the language. "Our Mahayuti government will not allow anyone to be treated unfairly on the basis of language...," Fadnavis said, adding:

‘There is no compulsion of any kind’

"First of all, there is no reason for our Hindi-speaking brothers who work as taxi or auto drivers here to become experts in Marathi. They only need to know enough Marathi to carry out their work, and that is what has been requested. There is no compulsion of any kind; efforts are being made to teach them Marathi. People have already requested an extension twice, and the deadline was extended. It has now been extended for a third time as well. If there is another request from those who want to learn and need more time, the deadline will be extended again," Fadnavis told reporters.

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had said that drivers found to lack the required proficiency would initially be allowed to learn the language.

"If they fail to comply, their licence and badge would be suspended for three months, and continued non-compliance could lead to cancellation of the licence and badge," he had said, emphasising that the drive did not intend to affect anyone's livelihood but sought to ensure that the Marathi language and the state's identity and culture were preserved.

The crackdown on the Marathi language requirement for auto and taxi drivers has prompted protests, with drivers blocking roads on Kandivali Link Road near Laljipada and disrupting traffic during peak hours.

Commuters in several parts of Mumbai faced inconvenience on Monday after some autorickshaw and taxi drivers allegedly disrupted passenger services while protesting against the Maharashtra government's Marathi proficiency drive.

Videos shared on social media showed protests at several locations, including Kandivali, Malad (West), Santacruz, Dahisar and Andheri.

Drivers allegedly stopped colleagues from ferrying passengers

At Laljipada in Kandivali (West), a group of protesters allegedly prevented fellow autorickshaw and taxi drivers, including those working with app-based cab services, from carrying passengers.

Some drivers were allegedly forced to make passengers get out of their vehicles. There were also complaints that protesters attempted to damage vehicles belonging to drivers who continued to operate.

"Rickshaw drivers are forming groups, forcibly removing passengers from rickshaws! Oshiwara Mega Mall," Arvind Rao, an X user, wrote on the microblogging site.

Panic among non-Marathi-speaking drivers

A leader of an autorickshaw and taxi union said the protests were driven by anxiety among drivers who do not speak Marathi and are concerned about the possible impact of the language requirement on their livelihoods.

According to the union leader, some drivers took to the streets in protest and attempted to prevent others from ferrying passengers.

"Not a single union has given a strike or agitation call," the leader said, adding that groups of drivers held protests at multiple locations in the western suburbs, where a sizeable number of non-Marathi-speaking drivers work.

He said the situation returned to normal during the second half of the day.

Misinformation over Marathi fines

A senior regional transport official at the Borivali RTO said officials learnt that misinformation had been circulated among drivers claiming that they could be fined between ₹5,000 and ₹20,000 for not having working knowledge of Marathi.

(With inputs from news agency PTI)