Maharashtra gives auto, cab drivers one year to learn Marathi amid language row
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Maharashtra gives auto, cab drivers one year to learn Marathi amid language row")
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Photograph: (ANI)
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis has given auto and cab drivers one year to learn functional Marathi after drivers' organisations sought more time to comply with the language requirement.
After a major controversy over the Maharashtra government's directive making practical knowledge of Marathi mandatory for commercial passenger vehicle drivers, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday (August 27) announced that drivers will get one year to learn functional Marathi after meeting representatives of drivers' organisations who sought more time.
Fadnavis said representatives of auto and rickshaw drivers' organisations met him and expressed their support for the requirement that people working in Mumbai should learn functional Marathi.
"Today, people from the auto drivers' and rickshaw drivers' organisations met with me. They first expressed their support for the idea that functional Marathi should be learned by those working in Mumbai. They all want to learn it, but along with that, they also said that people of various ages are in this profession, and many have dropped out of studies a long time ago," Fadnavis said.
The Chief Minister said the government had considered the difficulties faced by drivers from different age groups and educational backgrounds while retaining the requirement for those working in Mumbai to have a basic working knowledge of Marathi.
"Because of this, learning Marathi in such a short time is difficult for them. They have prepared a very comprehensive plan to teach functional Marathi," he added.
The Maharashtra government had made practical knowledge of Marathi mandatory for commercial passenger vehicle drivers, including auto rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers, from August 12.
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Marathi rule faces legal challenge
The announcement came as the directive also faced a legal challenge following the political controversy. An advocate filed a Public Interest Litigation challenging the notification.
The petition was filed by four app-based cab drivers. They argued that the requirement violates their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
The petitioners also argued that the requirement goes beyond the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which does not prescribe any language requirement for driving licences.
The latest decision gives commercial passenger vehicle drivers one year to develop the required working knowledge of Marathi.
