Final Up to date:
CM Fadnavis stated that no motion could be taken in opposition to drivers for the following one yr, giving them time to get working data of Marathi.
The CM’s announcement comes days after Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik stated drivers who didn’t exhibit working data of Marathi may face suspension of their authorisation badges. (Photograph: PTI file)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday introduced that auto-rickshaw and cab drivers shall be given one yr to study Marathi, amid protests and a political row over the state authorities’s language mandate.
Fadnavis stated that no motion could be taken in opposition to drivers for the following one yr, giving them time to amass working data of Marathi.
“I met cab and auto drivers. All of them agree that everybody ought to know Marathi, however they stated individuals from completely different age teams are on this occupation and it’s tough for them to study Marathi shortly. They’ve ready a plan and demanded a yr for this. The state authorities has accepted this demand. There shall be no motion within the yr,” Fadnavis stated.
The announcement comes days after Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik stated drivers who didn’t exhibit working data of Marathi may face suspension of their authorisation badges.
Mumbai Auto Drivers Head Again To Bihar, UP Amid Marathi Checks; Pune Drivers ‘Scan’ Passengers For RTO Traps
Additionally Learn | No Marathi, No Licence: Maharashtra Makes Language Mandatory For Cab, Auto Drivers
What New Marathi Rule?
Sarnaik had stated {that a} driver’s badge would initially be suspended for one month if she or he didn’t have working data of Marathi. If the driving force didn’t study the language throughout that interval, one other three months could be granted earlier than the badge may very well be cancelled, as per guidelines amended earlier this month.
The minister had additionally stated that drivers who didn’t study Marathi even after 4 months would successfully be indicating that they didn’t “love the language” and didn’t want a Marathi identification.
Additionally Learn | Why Cosmopolitan Cities Like Mumbai, Bengaluru Are Becoming More Conservative
In the meantime, Sarnaik on Tuesday alleged that some political leaders had been trying to fabricate a “Marathi-Hindi” controversy in Mumbai and Thane, notably with an eye fixed on the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The language mandate has additionally triggered tensions involving migrant drivers. On Monday, 4 auto-rickshaw drivers allegedly assaulted a Marathi-speaking driver in Mumbai’s Kandivali area after he refused to affix a protest in opposition to the Marathi proficiency requirement.
The incident passed off after numerous auto-rickshaw drivers gathered on MG Street to protest the federal government’s Marathi working-language drive. The protesters allegedly requested different auto drivers to cease working their autos.
The federal government’s resolution has additionally been challenged within the Bombay Excessive Court docket. Four cab drivers have filed a PIL in search of a keep on the requirement that auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers possess working data of Marathi.
The petitioners have argued that the August 12 authorities notification threatens the livelihoods of lakhs of “poor and migrant” drivers and have sought a keep on its implementation.
In regards to the Creator
Saurabh Verma is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, specializing in Indian politics, nationwide present affairs, and breaking world information. With years of expertise monitoring energy shifts, election strateg…Learn Extra
August 27, 2026, 17:38 IST
Learn Extra
