Activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Friday staged a protest against Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam over the latter`s appeal to the state government to rethink its decision to hold Marathi exams for autorickshaw and taxi drivers, reported PTI.
Talking to PTI, Nirupam said he visited Ganpat Patil Nagar area of Dahisar in the western suburbs earlier in the day to speak to autorickshaw drivers, urging them to learn Marathi and not to panic over the cancellation of their licences if they fail any exam testing their language skills.
“MNS workers came there and shouted slogans against me,” he said.
The former MP from Mumbai has written to his party colleague and state Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, urging that broken and working Marathi be allowed for auto and taxi drivers, and the government rethink its decision to make knowledge of the language mandatory and conduct exams, reported PTI.
Earlier this month, Sarnaik announced that speaking Marathi will be mandatory for auto drivers from May 1, and all 59 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in Maharashtra will conduct a special drive to enforce the rule.
Upset over the decision, some trade unions representing autorickshaw drivers have threatened to launch a state-wide agitation from May 4.
Sanjay Nirupam urges Maharashtra govt to rethink move to hold Marathi exams for auto and taxi drivers
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam has appealed to the Maharashtra government to reconsider its decision to hold Marathi exams for autorickshaw and taxi drivers, and give relaxation to those who speak broken or working Marathi.
In a letter to Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, Nirupam said the language taught with love stays, while the one enforced only creates fear.
Nirupam, whose party is a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, emphasised the issue should be viewed with a humanitarian approach.
“Upholding the respect for the Marathi language, broken and working Marathi should be allowed for (auto and taxi) drivers. The government should rethink making knowledge of Marathi mandatory and conducting exams,” he said in the letter to Sarnaik.
Both Sarnaik and Nirupam hail from the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The former MP from Mumbai argued that enforcing an exam could prove detrimental for autorickshaw and taxi drivers, for whom Marathi is not their mother tongue, and affect their livelihood.
“There is no doubt that respect for the Marathi language, pride in it, and its preservation are deeply rooted in the heart of each one of us. However, imposing a rigid framework on love for the language and enforcing an exam for it could prove detrimental to the lives of thousands of hardworking drivers,” Nirupam said.
(With inputs from PTI)
