The Maharashtra government’s decision to issue new one lakh permits for auto drivers has come with a rider. The applicant must speak fluent Marathi.
The condition will be applicable to other 1.5 lakh permits as well, which need to be renewed.
State’s Transport Minister and Shiv Sena leader Divakar Raote on Tuesday announced the decision clarifying that the permits won’t be issued unless the driver displays his oratory skills in Marathi.
“It is necessary for any auto driver in Maharashtra to know Marathi and to know it very well. How else can he communicate to the passengers? It is important for the driver who works here to know Marathi,” said Mr. Raote.
Maharashtra will be issuing new one lakh auto permits this year, after a gap of almost 18 years. The government has also decided to renew licenses of around 1.40 lakh autos, which are presently running illegally on the streets.
“We know that we have illegal autos running on streets, but we cannot take them off road immediately. Hence, we are giving them one chance to renew their licenses by paying certain amount of fine. But even then the department will check the driver’s ability to speak Marathi,” the Minister said.
Mr. Raote’s decision comes weeks after Sena’s arch-rival Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray issued a threat to not distribute auto permits to non-Marathis. The decision is seen as an effort to nullify Mr. Thackeray’s warning and to claim the credit of being pro-sons-of-soil party.
Congress has called the decision ‘anti-constitutional’ and ‘illegal.’ “No one can be denied livelihood on the basis of one’s language, says our constitution. There are non-Marathis too who travel in autos. Should we ask the driver to learn their language as well?” asked Sanjay Nirupam, party’s Mumbai unit president.
