Mumbai: Maharashtra BJP leader Haji Arfat Shaikh has said that auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers across the state will learn basic Marathi within 100 days, amid an ongoing controversy over the Maharashtra government’s language policy for public transport drivers.
Speaking on the issue, Shaikh said the government had earlier introduced a rule under which licences of drivers who failed to speak Marathi could be cancelled. However, following objections from sections of drivers and transport unions, the government simplified the policy.
“The earlier 200-page document has now been simplified into two pages, focusing on basic Marathi phrases that people can learn and speak,” Shaikh said. He added that representatives had sought six months’ time to implement the changes and that the government had granted an extension until August 15.
“Through your channel, I want to assure Devendra ji, drivers will learn Marathi. We have taken a pledge that within 100 days, drivers will learn to speak Marathi, and we will ensure the simplified booklet reaches auto and taxi drivers everywhere,” he said, referring to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
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The language issue has triggered political debate in Maharashtra in recent months, particularly over the use of Marathi in public services and transport. Several political parties and Marathi organisations have demanded stricter enforcement of Marathi usage among drivers operating in Mumbai and other urban centres.
At the same time, transport unions have argued that many drivers are migrants from other states and require time and support to learn the language. The revised policy, focusing on conversational Marathi and commonly used phrases, is being seen as a compromise aimed at balancing linguistic concerns with practical implementation.
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