Mumbai, Aug 27 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday alleged that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis granted a one-year extension to autorickshaw and taxi drivers to learn the Marathi language due to “pressure from Delhi”, which he described as a stern message to BJP’s ally Shiv Sena.
In a dig at the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, he said the announcement was to remind Mahayuti allies and send a message that they have to listen to the person “who succeeds the (incumbent) CM”.
Raut also dared ministers of Shiv Sena to rebel over the decision announced by Fadnavis.
“The (Marathi proficiency) initiative was not for the Marathi language but for the non-Marathi people (drivers). Delhi pressured to roll back the initiative. We had been keeping an eye on this move. We had anticipated pressure from Delhi for the rollback, which happened yesterday,” Raut claimed.
A day earlier, Fadnavis said autorickshaw and taxi drivers would be given one year to learn functional Marathi, in response to demands from representatives of migrant non-native drivers.
“The state government has accepted their demand and is giving them one year. No action will be taken during this period,” Fadnavis said.
Political observers feel the announcement was made ahead of next year’s crucial assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the state from which a sizeable number of migrant drivers settled in Mumbai belong.
Elections may have dictated the decision, but the issue was of Marathi language, Raut added.
Meanwhile, autorickshaw and taxi unions on Friday welcomed the Maharashtra government’s decision to grant them a year to acquire working knowledge of Marathi, saying the extension removes the immediate threat to their livelihoods.
Notably, only a week ago the Transport Department headed by Shiv Sena minister Pratap Sarnaik issued notices to drivers who failed Marathi “working knowledge” tests conducted by RTO officials on roads.
The BJP-led Maharashtra government announced in April this year that drivers of commercial vehicles must have functional knowledge.
“By announcing the extension to drivers to learn the language by a year, the chief minister has shown he is the boss. The announcement was done as an arrangement to remind the allies and send a message that they have to listen to the person who succeeds the (incumbent) CM,” Raut added, alluding to speculation about a Central role for Fadnavis.
Transport Minister Sarnaik had said that drivers failing the Marathi test would be given one month to acquire the working knowledge of the language, failing which their badges would be suspended for three months. PTI PR NSK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.