Mumbai, Aug 25 (PTI) Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Tuesday alleged that some leaders are trying to manufacture a “Marathi-Hindi” controversy in Mumbai and Thane over the Marathi language mandate for autorickshaw and taxi drivers, eyeing “elections” in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
In a bid to address panic among drivers, the minister said training centres for the Marathi language, which were discontinued after August 15, will be revived in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Additionally, a dedicated mobile phone number will be created for drivers to reach out to get information about Marathi language centres in the MMR.
Sarnaik asserted that no taxi or auto-rickshaw driver had been fined even Rs 500, but alleged that some people were deliberately spreading rumours that drivers are being forced to pay Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 for lacking the “working knowledge” of Marathi language.
“An attempt is being made to deliberately create a controversy between Hindi and Marathi in society and spoil the atmosphere,” Sarnaik told reporters at Mantralaya, appealing to people not to believe rumours.
He also alleged that some leaders from UP and Bihar were deliberately making videos showing auto-rickshaws being transported to North Indian states by trains and posting clips with songs like “Hum To Chale Pardes”, even though the vehicles were operating in Maharashtra.
Mumbai and Thane regions house a significant number of migrants originally from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, forming a massive vote bank for parties.
The Shiv Sena leader’s remarks came a day after widespread fear among auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers over rumoured steep fines linked to the Marathi proficiency drive erupted into street protests in parts of Mumbai, forcing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to step in and address the panic.
Sarnaik said Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, the party’s north Indian face, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi, auto-rickshaw and taxi union leader Shashank Rao and others had contacted him over the issue.
So far, no political party or auto-rickshaw and taxi unions have opposed the state government’s drive to make “working knowledge” of Marathi mandatory for non-Marathi-speaking drivers, he said.
“However, deliberate attempts are being made to create a Marathi-Hindi controversy. Some people are trying to spoil the atmosphere in Mumbai and Thane because there are elections in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,” Sarnaik alleged.
While Bihar went to polls in November 2025, elections in Uttar Pradesh are due next year.
He alleged that some auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers had tried to create confusion a day earlier, though no union had supported them.
A day earlier, several auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers protested at various locations, particularly in the western suburbs of Mumbai, causing inconvenience to passengers.
Sarnaik said Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad, which imparted working Marathi training to 1.65 lakh drivers over the 105 days ending August 15, would now provide training to more drivers.
The minister held a virtual meeting with RTO officials and directed them to publish a mobile phone number for drivers to get information about Marathi language centres in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Pradeep Dhaval of the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad told reporters that the organisation would continue to operate 16 centres in the MMR where non-Marathi-speaking drivers could learn the basics of the language.
Shashank Rao, a taxi and auto-rickshaw union leader, said he has sought three months from the government for drivers to learn Marathi and the government had agreed.
“There is panic among drivers as centres to learn the Marathi language are not operational after August 15, but the issue has been resolved now,” he added.
Sarnaik added that though Rao had sought three months for drivers to learn Marathi, technically, they had been given four months.
He said if any driver lacked working knowledge of Marathi, his badge would be suspended for one month.
“If the driver failed to learn the language during this period, he would be given another three months before cancellation of his badge, which serves as an authorisation to operate, as per rules amended earlier this month,” Sarnaik added.
He said if the driver fails to learn Marathi even after four months, it means he doesn’t love the language and doesn’t need a Marathi identity.
The Shiv Sena MLA clarified that the Mahayuti government generates employment and would not snatch anyone’s livelihood.
Responding to a query on Monday’s protests, Sarnaik warned of legal action against those who tried to take the law into their own hands. PTI KK GK NSK
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