Taxi driver license controversy in Mumbai: Marathi cumpulsory, then not so

Maharashtra Chief Minister makes a U-turn on row over taxi-driver licence

Ashok Chavan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has made a volte-face on his government’s controversial directive stipulating that a person should have lived in Maharashtra for 15 years and be able to speak, read and write Marathi in order get a taxi-driver licence.

The Chief Minister has denied any “pressure over the issue of language” involving taxi drivers in the state.

An official press release issued on January 20, 2010, had said that “it will now be binding on taxi drivers to have lived in the state for 15 years and be able to speak, read and write Marathi.”

The Maharashtra Government’s directive had triggered widespread resentment in the state, prompting the Chief Minister to come out with a clarification that “local language” includes Hindi and Gujarati, besides Marathi.

Ashok Chavan told reporters that taxi drivers need to speak one local language, and that the ‘local language’ includes Marathi, Hindi, and Gujarati.

The Cabinet’s decision, Chavan clarified on January 21, 2010, was based on the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules of 1989. According to Rule Four, 15 years’ of domicile in the state is compulsory for a person to get a tax-driver permit. Another rule on motor vehicles, also framed in 1989, says that, for a driver to get a taxi badge, working knowledge of the ‘local language’ is necessary.

The Chief Minister stressed that the ‘local language’ can be Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, or “can include any local language” but the knowledge of a local language is necessary.

However, earlier in the day, the Chief Minister had stressed that only those who know Marathi will be allowed drive a taxi in Mumbai.

He had also said that the government is trying to organise the taxi sector and that the government wants the taxi-drivers to be able to speak, read and write Marathi.

A total of 4,000 taxi new permits will be given each year, according to the Chief Minister.

Maharashtra State Transport Commissioner Dilip Jadhav said the government was only implementing the existing clauses in the Motor Vehicles Act.

A L Quadros, general secretary of the Mumbai Taximen’s Union (MTU), said he has not yet received any circular and the condition that taxi drivers must know Marathi is not acceptable to the union.

The Mumbai Taximen’s Union said it will challenge the government’s decision in the Bombay High Court.

Describing the Maharashtra government’s decision as “undemocratic and discriminating,” A L Quadros stressed that it was “totally unacceptable” to taxi drivers in Mumbai.

He indicated that the Mumbai Taximen’s Union may resort to mass agitations such as suspending taxi services in Mumbai.

Mushtaque Qureshi, chief of the City Taxi Union, appealed to the government to give taxi drivers adequate time to learn Marathi.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government’s decision over taxi drivers is being seen as a political move, with the ruling Congress party possibly attempting to make inroads into the vote-banks of the Shiv Sena and of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), headed by Raj Thackeray.

It may be noted that migrants in Mumbai have traditionally supported the Congress party and hence the government’s move may result in losing the votes of the migrants.