Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam has urged the Maharashtra government to postpone its plan to make Marathi mandatory for autorickshaw and taxi drivers by six months to a year, PTI reported.
Earlier this month, his party colleague and Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced that speaking Marathi would be mandatory for all licensed autorickshaw and taxi drivers in Maharashtra from May 1.
State-wide inspection for language verification
A state-wide inspection drive will be conducted through 59 regional and sub-regional offices of the Motor Transport Department to verify whether drivers can read and write the language, Sarnaik had said.
The minister warned that licences of drivers who do not possess basic knowledge of Marathi will be cancelled.
Upset over the decision, some trade unions representing autorickshaw drivers have threatened to launch a state-wide agitation from May 4.
Nirupam`s letter to Maharashtra Minister
In a letter to Sarnaik on Saturday, Nirupam said the decision to make Marathi compulsory for autorickshaw and taxi drivers has created unease.
“There is no doubt that Marathi is the identity and pride of Maharashtra. But learning any language depends on a person’s ability to grasp it,” said Nirupam, a prominent North Indian face of the Shiv Sena, the news agency reported.
“I humbly request that the decision (to make Marathi compulsory for auto and taxi drivers) be implemented after six months to a year,” he said in his letter.
This, he said, would give drivers sufficient time to learn Marathi and adopt it confidently.
“There is no opposition among auto and taxi drivers to learning Marathi, but they should be given some time,” he added.
Reconsider taking autorickshaw and taxi driver`s Marathi exam: Nirupan
Last week, Nirupam had also urged the Maharashtra government to reconsider its decision to hold Marathi exams for autorickshaw and taxi drivers and to grant relaxation to those who speak basic or functional Marathi.
He said that a language taught with love stays, while one that is enforced only creates fear.
Nirupam, whose party is a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, emphasised that the issue should be approached with sensitivity.
In a multicultural metropolis like Mumbai, over 70 per cent of autorickshaw and taxi drivers hail from Gujarat, North India, Punjab, and various parts of South India. They have built their livelihoods through hard work and contribute significantly to the city’s fast-paced life, he said.
“At such a time, this decision hangs like a sword over their employment. Fear and discontent are growing among drivers, and there is a real risk of disruption to Mumbai’s daily transportation system,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)
