No Harassment of Auto-Rickshaw and Taxi Drivers; Licences Not Cancelled: CM

Drivers Given Adequate Time and Opportunities to Learn Marathi

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Government has no intention of harassing auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers from other states over the requirement to learn Marathi, and no driving licences have been cancelled so far, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said firmly on Monday.

Amid concerns raised by out-of-state auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers over the Transport Department’s insistence that they learn Marathi, Chief Minister Fadnavis clarified the government’s position and sought to allay apprehensions among drivers.

Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister said the requirement was limited to acquiring a basic knowledge of Marathi so that drivers could communicate effectively with local passengers while providing services in Maharashtra.

“The objective is only to ensure that passengers do not face inconvenience while communicating with drivers,” the Chief Minister said, stressing that the government had provided drivers with sufficient time and repeated opportunities to learn the language.

Fadnavis further clarified that the decision was not aimed at taking away anyone’s livelihood. He appealed to auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers not to be misled by rumours and urged them to comply with the rules and make an effort to acquire basic Marathi language skills.

The Chief Minister’s clarification comes amid growing discussions over the implementation of the Marathi language requirement for commercial drivers in the state. The government has maintained that the measure is intended to facilitate communication between drivers and passengers rather than discriminate against workers from other states.