Now Reading: Over 1 lakh auto, taxi drivers learn Marathi before deadline
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Over 1 lakh auto, taxi drivers learn Marathi before deadline
Over one lakh non-Marathi auto and taxi drivers across Maharashtra have completed functional Marathi language training under the state government's Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Shikvani Abhiyan, The Times of India reports. The…
The Story in Brief
Over one lakh non-Marathi auto and taxi drivers across Maharashtra have completed functional Marathi language training under the state government's Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Shikvani Abhiyan, The Times of India reports. The transport department has set an August 15 deadline for all commercial passenger vehicle drivers to obtain a Marathi proficiency certificate. Those who fail to comply will face penalties.
On Wednesday, hundreds of drivers gathered at a community hall in Saki Naka, Mumbai, to take a mandatory oral test, Hindustan Times reports. The exam, lasting two to four minutes, tested basic phrases like 'Kuthe jaycha ahe?' (Where do you want to go?). Many drivers, some from Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand who have lived in Mumbai for decades, said they understand Marathi but rarely use it as passengers prefer Hindi. Transport unions and RTOs are organising free coaching sessions ahead of the deadline.
The Indian Opinion
The Marathi-language rule is being painted either as coercive nativism or a voluntary cultural embrace. The truth is a muddle: drivers are rushing to comply not out of love but because non-compliance means losing their livelihood after August 15. The minister calls it a gesture of respect, but many drivers, some septuagenarians, are cramming basic phrases they never needed in decades. The real test will be how many drivers are actually penalised after the deadline, and whether passengers, who largely speak Hindi, care.
Sources (2): hindustantimes.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
