Marathi Language Row: Fadnavis Says Drivers Only Need Basic Working Knowledge

Mumbai: Protests by autorickshaw and taxi drivers in parts of Mumbai on Monday, sparked by rumours of heavy fines for not knowing Marathi, prompted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to clarify the state government's language requirement.

The demonstrations, reported in areas such as Kandivali, Malad (West), Santacruz, Dahisar, and Andheri, caused inconvenience to commuters during the morning rush hour. Some protesters allegedly stopped other drivers from ferrying passengers and asked riders to deboard vehicles. Videos circulating on social media showed gatherings at various locations.

A senior official at the Borivali Regional Transport Office (RTO) said misinformation had been spread among drivers that they would be fined between Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000 for not having working knowledge of Marathi.

Addressing the concern, Fadnavis said the aim of the government's directive is not to make drivers language experts but to ensure they can communicate in the local language for their work. “There is no reason to make them experts in Marathi. They should know work-related, basic Marathi,” he said. He added that drivers have already been given additional time to learn the language and asserted that no licence has been cancelled so far.

State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik warned of action against RTO officials who impose fines on autorickshaw and taxi drivers for not knowing Marathi before a one-month notice period ends. He clarified that the August 12 government resolution requires RTO officials to issue a month's notice to drivers lacking working knowledge of Marathi, granting them time to learn the language. If they fail to meet the requirement after a month, their licence and badge will be suspended, and they will get three more months to learn Marathi. Licences may be cancelled only if they still fail to comply.

“If an RTO official is found to have wrongly fined drivers before a month's notice ends, action will be taken against him,” Sarnaik told reporters. However, he warned of action against drivers who intentionally refuse to learn the language.

Sarnaik's remarks came after Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, who represents the party's north Indian outreach, met him and requested that fines be stopped. Nirupam alleged that fines as high as Rs 25,000 were being imposed without following the notice procedure.

On August 20, RTOs issued notices to 1,268 commercial passenger vehicle drivers, mainly autorickshaw and taxi drivers, for inadequate knowledge of Marathi. The next day, notices were issued to 1,499 non-Marathi-speaking drivers across Maharashtra. Sarnaik stated that 1,65,600 non-Marathi autorickshaw and taxi drivers have so far attended Marathi classes.

Despite these assurances, many drivers appeared anxious. At Laljipada in Kandivali (West), drivers staged a road blockade around 9 am. Police reached the spot and dispersed the protesters. Some drivers complained that protesters attempted to damage their vehicles. An X user, Arvind Rao, posted, “Rickshaw drivers are forming groups, forcibly removing passengers from rickshaws! Oshiwara Mega Mall.”

A leader of an autorickshaw and taxi union attributed the protests to panic among drivers who are unable to communicate in Marathi and fear losing their livelihoods. He said such drivers staged protests and stopped others from working. “Not a single union has given a strike or agitation call,” the leader said, noting that only some groups were involved.