Amit Thackeray, the leader of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), has fuelled the Marathi language debate in Maharashtra. He warned auto-rickshaw, taxi, and cab drivers that if they insist on speaking only in Hindi or behave rudely with passengers, they will face action.
This comes in view of a new controversy that emerged in the wake of the state government's decision to set a one-year deadline for professional passenger vehicle drivers to learn functional Marathi. Drivers’ organizations asked for more time and due to the array of age and education of those working in the field, the Maharashtra government gave an extension.
Amit Thackeray said if there are complaints about drivers refusing to communicate in Marathi or showing inappropriate behavior towards passengers, the MNS will intervene.
"If we find that an auto-rickshaw driver is speaking in Hindi or behaving rudely, we will take action against them. If you trouble people, you will be dealt with," he said.
He added that drivers should not ask passengers to speak Hindi or refer to it as ‘the language of UP’ and that Marathi should be the priority language in Maharashtra.
This statement is consistent with the MNS's long-term efforts to promote and use Marathi in Maharashtra. People working in the state should respect the local language and Marathi-speaking residents should not face problems in accessing public services or communicating with service providers, the party has maintained.
Amit Thackeray targeted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the government’s decision to grant a one-year extension for drivers to learn functional Marathi.
Thackeray linked this decision to the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, suggesting that the government is more interested in political considerations than in the interests of Maharashtra and the Marathi language.
"Give them a ten-year extension. Give them a fifteen-year extension. We know how much you love the Marathi language and our state," he said.
Thackeray also pointed out other states where regional languages hold public and cultural significance and emphasized that Maharashtra should prioritize Marathi as well.
"If you go to Gujarat, Punjab, or the South -- there is a demand for your language everywhere. Now, because the UP elections are coming, you are giving a one-year extension," he added.
Need for Marathi among professional drivers
The Maharashtra government’s decision to make functional knowledge of Marathi mandatory for professional passenger vehicle drivers has stirred controversy. This requirement includes auto-rickshaw drivers, taxi operators, and app-based cab drivers.
Drivers should have functional knowledge of Marathi, and if they don’t do so, they are subject to the suspension of their driving licenses for three months. Repeated violations may lead to permanent revocation of their licenses.
The requirement for practical Marathi was implemented on August 12. However, after representations by driver organizations, officials granted an additional year for drivers to meet the required standards of functional Marathi.
The extension was made considering the diverse backgrounds of people working in the transport sector, they said.
Four Cab Drivers Challenge the Order
The Marathi mandate is also under legal scrutiny in the Mumbai High Court. Four cab drivers are arguing that the requirement for professional drivers to speak the language violates their fundamental rights.
The petitioners have cited Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution. They also argued that the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 do not include specific language requirements for getting a driving license.
But the legal challenge adds another layer to the political conflict surrounding the government’s Marathi policy. Proponents of the order contend that drivers who meet passengers in Maharashtra should have a basic knowledge of the state’s official language, and opponents question whether such a condition can be imposed for operating commercial vehicles.
Now that this issue is being discussed politically and legally, Amit Thackeray's warning is likely to provoke further controversy surrounding Maharashtra's Marathi language mandate.
