Mumbai, Aug 25 (PTI) Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Tuesday claimed that with an eye on “elections” in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, some political leaders are trying to manufacture a “Marathi-Hindi” controversy in Mumbai and Thane over the Marathi mandate for autorickshaw and taxi drivers.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) put up boards in Mumbai’s Kandivali area warning it will not stay quiet if commuters are held to ransom, a day after a Marathi-speaking autorickshaw driver was allegedly attacked by non-Marathi auto drivers for refusing to join protests against the language mandate.
On the legal front, four cab drivers in Mumbai on Tuesday filed a petition in the Bombay High Court against the government’s decision to make working knowledge of Marathi language mandatory for autorickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers, saying it violated the fundamental rights of citizens.
Seeking to allay fears among drivers from non-Marathi background, Sarnaik said training centres for the language, discontinued after August 15, will be revived in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Additionally, a dedicated mobile phone number will be created for drivers 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.
“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 in rumours.
He alleged some leaders from UP and Bihar were deliberately making videos showing auto-rickshaws being transported to North and eastern 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.
Sarnaik said Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, the party’s north Indian face, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi, autorickshaw and taxi union leader Shashank Rao and others had contacted him over the issue.
So far, no political party or autorickshaw and taxi unions had opposed the government’s campaign to make “working knowledge” of Marathi mandatory for non-Marathi-speaking drivers, he insisted.
“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.
The Shiv Sena minister alleged some auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers had tried to create confusion a day earlier, though no union had supported them.
A day earlier, several autorickshaw and taxi drivers protested at various locations, particularly in the western suburbs of Mumbai, causing inconvenience to passengers.
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 MMR.
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 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,” the minister explained.
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.
Following the assault on Marathi rickshaw driver in Kandivali, the MNS said it has requested those autorickshaw drivers to leave Maharashtra and go back to their respective states if they feel lowly in learning or speaking Marathi.
On Monday, four auto drivers allegedly assaulted a Marathi-speaking driver in Kandivali area after he refused to join a protest against the language proficiency mandate. The incident sparking localised tensions between native Marathi speakers and migrant drivers from North India.
The incident occurred when a large number of auto-rickshaw drivers assembled on MG Road to protest against the government’s Marathi working language drive. The protesters asked other auto drivers to stop operating their vehicles.
Four cab drivers filed a PIL in the HC against the government’s decision to make working knowledge of Marathi language mandatory for auto rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers.
The PIL, filed through advocate Vivek Shukla, claimed the government notification of August 12 posed a threat to the livelihoods of lakhs of “poor and migrant” drivers, and sought a stay over its implementation.
The petitioners argued the rule violates their fundamental rights under Articles 14 (right to equality), 19 (freedom to carry on trade and profession) and 21 (right to life) of the Constitution and is ultra vires to the Motor Vehicles Act, which does not prescribe any language requirement for driving licences. PTI KK PR SP NP GK NSK RSY
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