Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announced that auto and taxi drivers will get one year to learn Marathi, with no action against them during this period. Fadnavis said drivers agreed they should know Marathi but sought more time as people of different age groups work in the profession. The state accepted their one-year plan following protests over the language requirement.

Maharashtra: CM Fadnavis Gives 1-Year Time To Auto-Taxi Drivers To Learn Marathi; No Action During Period | IANS

Mumbai: Amid the ongoing Marathi language row in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced that auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers will be given an additional one year to learn Marathi. The announcement comes as a major relief for auto and taxi drivers, days after the language requirement sparked protests and triggered a stir across the state.

Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said that no action will be taken against drivers during the one-year period. He said the government understood that drivers from different age groups may need more time to learn the language and had therefore accepted their demand for an additional year.

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Government accepts drivers' demand

“I met cab and auto drivers. They all agree that everyone should know Marathi, but they said people from different age groups are in this profession and it is difficult for them to learn Marathi quickly. They have prepared a plan and demanded a year for this. The state government has accepted this demand. There will be no action in the year,” Fadnavis said.

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The decision comes days after Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik directed that all taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers across the state must have basic working knowledge of Marathi.

Badge suspension was proposed

Sarnaik had earlier said that drivers who failed to demonstrate working knowledge of Marathi could face suspension of their authorisation badges. He had stated that a driver’s badge would initially be suspended for one month for failing to meet the language requirement.

He had further said that drivers would be given additional time to learn Marathi, and if they still failed to meet the requirement, their badges could eventually be cancelled as per the rules amended earlier this month.

Drivers protested language requirement

The requirement had drawn opposition from several auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers across Maharashtra, who argued that they needed more time to learn Marathi. Several drivers also staged protests, alleging that the language requirement and proposed action against those failing to meet it were unfair.

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