Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said Marathi will continue to receive priority in the state while stressing that people speaking other Indian languages should not face discrimination, as the government faces scrutiny over rules requiring passenger transport drivers to have a working knowledge of Marathi.
Fadnavis said the BJP and the Mahayuti government had never supported the use of language as a basis for discrimination and maintained that regional identity and all Indian languages should be respected.
“We have never believed that languages should become a means of conflict,” he said.
“Regional identity should be respected. Every mother tongue should be respected, but at the same time, all Indian languages should also be respected,” Fadnavis said.
He added: “Marathi will certainly be given priority, because it is Maharashtra’s own language and mother tongue. But at the same time, people who speak other languages will never be treated unfairly simply because they speak another language.”
Fadnavis clarifies what drivers need to learn
The chief minister's remarks come amid a dispute over the Maharashtra government's amended motor vehicle rules, under which commercial passenger transport drivers are required to demonstrate a working knowledge of Marathi.
Fadnavis said the requirement had been portrayed as an attempt to impose the language, but argued that drivers were only expected to learn basic phrases required for interaction with passengers.
“It was essentially a two-page syllabus, just two pages,” he said, citing phrases such as “yahan basa”, which he explained as meaning “please sit here”.
Fadnavis also said members of Mumbai's taxi and autorickshaw unions who speak Hindi had themselves expressed an interest in learning basic Marathi, although they wanted more time to comply with the requirement.
“Marathi will be our mother, and the other languages will be our aunts,” he said.
One-year extension announced for drivers
The Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 were amended in August to make working knowledge of Marathi a requirement for commercial passenger transport drivers. The changes cover autorickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers, with the amended provisions providing for action against those who fail to meet the requirement.
The rules were initially set to be enforced from August 18. Under the provisions described by the state, failure to demonstrate the required knowledge could lead to suspension of the relevant driving authorisation for up to three months, while repeated non-compliance could result in cancellation.
However, the government subsequently gave non-Marathi-speaking autorickshaw and taxi drivers an additional year to learn the language. Fadnavis announced the extension on August 27 after representatives of driver organisations sought more time, and said no punitive action would be taken against them during the one-year period.
The decision followed protests by sections of Mumbai's autorickshaw and taxi workforce over the enforcement of the language requirement. Reports at the time said the government had already conducted a training and assessment drive to help drivers acquire basic Marathi skills.
What the amended rules provide
The amended Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules make working knowledge of Marathi relevant to commercial passenger vehicle authorisations and permits. The provisions cover autorickshaws, taxis and app-based motor cabs fitted with electronic meters. They also extend the requirement to permit holders.
Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has said the requirement is intended to ensure effective communication between drivers and passengers.
“Driving licences can be suspended for up to three months for lack of Marathi knowledge; repeated violations can lead to permanent cancellation,” Sarnaik said.
He has also directed the transport department to improve implementation of the amended provisions.
“These amendments will remove ambiguity in the rules and make the importance of working knowledge of Marathi for passenger transport drivers clearer,” Sarnaik said.
According to the minister, knowledge of the local language is necessary for drivers to communicate with passengers, understand their concerns and provide safe and convenient travel.
Language becomes a political flashpoint
Fadnavis also criticised Opposition parties, saying some political organisations had sought to make language the basis of their politics.
The issue has become politically contentious in Maharashtra, with language identity featuring prominently in public and political debates. In July, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena held a joint rally centred on Marathi pride.
The government's language requirement has also drawn differing responses from political and social groups. While the administration has presented the rule as a measure to facilitate communication with passengers, sections of the driver community have sought more time to comply.
Fadnavis has maintained that the objective is not to require drivers to become fluent in Marathi, but to ensure they possess basic, functional language skills for their work.