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As Maharashtra govt pushes Marathi, Sena MLAs seek more time for auto, taxi drivers to learn
Maharashtra will continue its Marathi training initiative for non-Marathi-speaking auto and taxi drivers, offering an initial one-month period plus an additional three months, with no badge cancellation during training. The decision follows protests, RTO notices to thousands of drivers, and appeals from Shiv Sena MLAs.
Deadline extended amid protests and political pressure
The Maharashtra government has decided to grant non-Marathi-speaking auto and taxi drivers an additional month to learn Marathi, following protests and appeals from ruling party legislators. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Tuesday that the government will continue its Marathi training initiative, giving drivers an initial one-month period to learn the language, followed by an additional three months if required. During this period, their badges will not be cancelled, though suspension action could be taken as per the law. Drivers who deliberately refuse to learn Marathi even after the extended period could face cancellation of their badges, he said.
The announcement came a day after auto-rickshaw drivers protested in Kandivli, alleging harassment and expressing panic over rumours of steep RTO fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000. The demonstration followed the Transport Department's statewide drive launched on August 20, requiring commercial passenger vehicle drivers to demonstrate working knowledge of Marathi. On August 20, Regional Transport Offices issued notices to 1,268 commercial passenger vehicle drivers for lacking adequate knowledge of Marathi; a day later, notices were issued to 1,499 non-Marathi-speaking drivers across Maharashtra.
Government's position and figures
Sarnaik said roughly 1.65 lakh auto rickshaw and taxi drivers across the state have been trained under a special 105-day programme launched by the Transport Department as part of its social responsibility initiative. He stated that no driver has been fined even Rs. 500, rejecting claims that drivers were being forced to pay fines of Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 for not having working knowledge of Marathi.
Sarnaik emphasised that the government does not intend to take away anyone's livelihood but wants to ensure that the Marathi language and the state's identity and culture are preserved. He said he was not asking non-Marathi-speaking drivers to speak "great or classical Marathi", but at least be able to converse in the local Marathi language. He also warned that police implementing the rules should not exploit drivers unlawfully, and that action would be taken against officers engaged in wrong practices. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government was ready to give drivers more time if needed and ensure no harassment.
The minister also alleged that some leaders were deliberately trying to create a "Marathi-Hindi" controversy in Mumbai and Thane, with an eye on elections in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. He said no auto or taxi driver had been fined even Rs 500, appealing to citizens and drivers not to believe rumours.
MLAs push for extension, cite livelihood concerns
Several Shiv Sena legislators urged the state government to grant drivers additional time. Sanjay Nirupam, a Shiv Sena leader, requested Sarnaik to extend the deadline, emphasising that enforcement measures should not threaten livelihoods. There is a palpable fear among drivers after the government's crackdown, Nirupam said, adding that drivers should not be threatened or intimidated.
Mangesh Kudalkar, MLA from Kalur, said that about 70 per cent of drivers have attended language classes. Dilip Lande, MLA from Chandivili, said 4,730 drivers cleared the exams; he heads an autorickshaw union with 1,840 members. Murji Patel, MLA Andheri East, said 5,20 drivers underwent training, of which 5,130 cleared the exam; he noted his constituency has nearly 65 mid north Indian voters.
Sarnaik said Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi, union leader Shashank Rao, and others had contacted him over the issue. Shashank Rao, a taxi and auto-rickshaw union leader, said he had sought three months and the government had agreed. There is panic among drivers as centres to learn the Marathi language are not operational after August 15, but the issue has been resolved now, he added.
Training and continuation
Training workshops will continue to be organised through the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh for drivers yet to complete training. The Transport Department has submitted lists of centers across Mumbai, Thane, Bhiwandi, Nalasopara, Vasai-Virar and Navi Mumbai to RTO authorities. RTO would soon issue dedicated contact numbers. The government plans to continuously run the "Hinduhriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Language Campaign" under the Marathi Language Department.
Though figures vary slightly, about 1.65 lakh drivers have been trained under the initial drive, according to Sarnaik, with some sources citing 1,65,8. The additional month-and-three-month period is intended to allow drivers to learn functional Marathi without fear of losing their licences.
Perspectives
Government ministries
The Transport Ministry says it is not seeking to take livelihoods but to preserve Marathi and the state's identity, providing training and grace periods under the law.
Protesting drivers
Non-Marathi-speaking auto and taxi drivers say they face harassment, prompting protests over steep fine rumours, and seek more time to learn the language.
Shiv Sena MLAs
Ruling Shiv Sena legislators, especially from areas with large north-Indian populations, urge a liberal approach, highlighting livelihood concerns and arranging classes.
Union leaders
Shashank Rao, a taxi and auto-rickshaw union leader, welcomes the extension but notes panic about non-operational training centres; the issue is resolved.
Regional political stance
Sarnaik accuses some leaders of creating a Marathi-Hindi controversy for elections in UP and Bihar, but says the campaign will continue.
How each outlet told it
Deccan Chronicle
Framing: Headline focuses on Sarnaik's statement that training will continue; leaves out political criticism and extension details. — Defensive; quotes Sarnaik's allegations of deliberate misinformation.
Facts Included:
Sarnaik said no driver fined even Rs 500; alleged rumours of Rs 20,000-25,000 fines.
Akhilesh Yadav questioned the decision, citing constitutional right to work.
Shashank Rao met Sarnaik and demanded three-month extension; submitted letter stating 5.5 lakh drivers in MMR and 15 lakh in state, 60-70% non-Marathi-speaking.
105-day 'Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Language Campaign' launched with Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh.
In May 2026, Transport Department announced drivers must learn Marathi by August 15; 1,65,800 drivers learned and received certificates.
RTO officials issuing notices prompted some drivers to avoid routes, causing commuter concern.
Sarnaik said training would continue, workshops through mentioned organizations; list of centres in Mumbai, Thane, etc. and dedicated contact number to be announced.
Sarnaik alleged anti-social elements trying to disturb atmosphere; claimed leaders eyeing UP/Bihar elections sharing videos of autos on trains with songs like 'Hum To Chale Pardes'.
Framing: Headline emphasizes extension and no badge cancellation; leaves out political allegations and protests. — Reassuring but includes accusatory language against leaders.
Facts Included:
Government will continue Marathi training; one-month period followed by additional three months if needed; no badge cancellation during training, but suspension possible.
Drivers who deliberately refuse to learn after extended period could face badge cancellation.
1.65 lakh drivers trained under 105-day programme.
Sarnaik alleged some leaders trying to create 'Marathi-Hindi' controversy with eye on UP/Bihar elections.
Sarnaik said no driver fined even Rs 500, rejecting claims of Rs 20,000-25,000 fines.
Sarnaik said Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, SP MLA Abu Azmi, union leader Shashank Rao had contacted him.
Shashank Rao sought three months for drivers to learn Marathi and government agreed.
Rao said centres were not operational after August 15, causing panic, but issue resolved.
Workshops to continue through Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh.
Framing: Emphasizes Shiv Sena MLAs seeking more time for drivers; leaves out government's response and political controversy. — Neutral/measured, quoting MLAs' concerns without alarm.
Facts Included:
Shiv Sena MLAs urged the government to grant drivers more time to learn Marathi.
Sanjay Nirupam requested Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik to extend the deadline.
Notices issued to 1,268 drivers on August 20 and 1,499 on August 21 for lacking Marathi knowledge.
Sarnaik announced a month-long drive on Wednesday, stated 1.65 lakh drivers trained in 105-day campaign.
Mangesh Kudalkar (Shiv Sena MLA from Kurla) said 60-70% of drivers attended language classes.
Dilip Lande (Shiv Sena MLA from Chandivili) said 4,730 drivers cleared exams; he heads an autorickshaw union with 1,840 members.
Murji Patel (Shiv Sena MLA from Andheri East) said 5,200 drivers underwent training, 5,130 cleared; spoke to Sarnaik who assured additional time.
Patel said his constituency has nearly 65,000 north Indian voters.
Framing: Headline emphasizes continued training; leaves out protest and political controversy. — Neutral, reportorial.
Facts Included:
Sarnaik said non-Marathi drivers must have functional Marathi skills to communicate with passengers.
1,65,800 drivers trained under 105-day initiative.
Press conference attended by labour leader Shashank Rao and office bearers from Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh.
Announcement came a day after protest in Kandivli by auto drivers alleging harassment from native drivers and panic over rumours of fines Rs 5,000-20,000.
Drive launched August 20, 2026.
Positive responses from drivers; workshops to continue; centres across Mumbai, Thane, Bhiwandi, etc.; RTOs to issue contact numbers.
Sarnaik said initiative stems from social commitment; state plans to run 'Hindutvahridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Language Campaign'.
Timeline: one-month period, additional three months if required; no badge revocation during grace period; cancellation only for intentional refusal.
Framing: Headline emphasizes extension and warns of licence suspension; leaves out protests and political context. — Measured, factual with a warning tone about suspension.
Facts Included:
Government gave one more month to learn Marathi after protests.
Sarnaik said one-month notice, then three-month suspension notice, then cancellation in fourth month.
Sarnaik said they are not asking for 'great or classical Marathi', just conversational.
More than 1.5 lakh drivers joined classes and got certificates.
Sarnaik warned police not to exploit drivers; action against erring police.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said government ready to give more time and ensure no harassment.
Framing: Same as Hindustan Times; emphasizes MLAs seeking more time, leaves out government response. — Neutral, quoting PTI feed.
Facts Included:
Shiv Sena MLAs urged government to extend deadline for drivers to learn Marathi.
Sanjay Nirupam requested Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik to extend deadline, citing livelihoods.
Notices issued to 1,268 drivers on August 20 and 1,499 on August 21.
Sarnaik announced month-long drive on Wednesday; 1.65 lakh drivers trained in 105-day campaign.
Details of MLAs' efforts: Kudalkar arranged classes, Lande booked two halls, 4,730 drivers cleared exams, Patel's 5,200 trained and 5,130 cleared; Patel's constituency has 65,000 north Indian voters.
Framing: Headline focuses on training centres and helpline; leaves out protests and political controversy. — Reassuring, solution-oriented.
Facts Included:
Government announced 161 Marathi training centres and a dedicated RTO helpline.
Announcement came a day after large-scale protests by non-Marathi-speaking drivers.
Sarnaik said centres operational within two to three days.
Training programmes through Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh, centres in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Nalasopara, Bhiwandi.
Transport department setting up helpline; unions plan to launch their own.
Shashank Rao, Mumbai Autorickshawmen's Union leader, met Sarnaik and said reopening centres was key outcome; a centre at Goregaon office to be restarted.
From Wednesday, union reps will distribute handbills and encourage enrolment.
Sarnaik clarified one-month notice followed by three-month suspension, effectively four months to learn; no immediate licence cancellation.
Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.
Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimOn August 20, Regional Transport Offices issued notices to 1,268 commercial passenger vehicle drivers for lacking adequate knowledge of Marathi.
ClaimSarnaik alleged that rumours were deliberately spread that drivers had been penalised Rs 20,000-25,000 for not having working knowledge of Marathi.
ClaimAkhilesh Yadav questioned the Maharashtra government's decision to make working knowledge of Marathi mandatory for taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers, saying it could undermine the constitutional right to work and do business across the country.
ClaimShashank Rao, president of the Mumbai Autorickshaw-Taximens Union, met Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik and demanded a three-month extension for Marathi language training.
ClaimAround 5.5 lakh auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers operate in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, while the figure is 15 lakh across Maharashtra; of these, 60-70 per cent are non-Marathi-speaking.
ClaimThe Maharashtra Transport Department, with the help of the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh, launched a 105-day 'Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Language Campaign' for auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers.
ClaimIn May 2026, the Maharashtra Transport Department announced that auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers in the state would have to learn Marathi by August 15.
ClaimSarnaik alleged that some leaders were attempting to create unrest in Mumbai and Thane with an eye on the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh and Bihar elections, sharing videos of auto-rickshaws being transported by trains to North India.
ClaimFollowing protests by non-Marathi-speaking auto and taxi drivers, the Maharashtra government decided to give them an additional month to learn Marathi.
ClaimTransport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said that under the law, if taxi and auto drivers did not learn Marathi within one month, they would be issued a three-month notice of suspension of their licences.
ClaimSarnaik said that if non-Marathi auto and taxi drivers do not learn Marathi within the three-month notice period, their driving licences will be cancelled in the fourth month.
ClaimSarnaik said that they were not asking non-Marathi-speaking drivers to speak 'great or classical Marathi' but that they should at least be able to converse in the local Marathi language.
ClaimSarnaik said that police implementing the Marathi-speaking rules should not exploit auto and taxi drivers unlawfully, and that action will be taken against officers engaged in wrong practices.
ClaimFadnavis said they would ensure that no taxi or auto drivers were harassed or troubled for not speaking Marathi, but they should learn the local language.
ClaimShiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam requested Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik to extend the deadline for autorickshaw and taxi drivers to acquire working knowledge of Marathi.
ClaimNirupam said there is a palpable fear among autorickshaw and taxi drivers after the government's crackdown, but maintained that they must know Marathi.
ClaimSarnaik announced a month-long drive on Wednesday, stating the government did not intend to take away anyone's livelihood but wanted to preserve the Marathi language and the state's identity and culture.
ClaimMangesh Kudalkar, Shiv Sena MLA from Kurla, said that while it is necessary for drivers to have working knowledge of Marathi, they need more time to learn the language.
ClaimKudalkar said he arranged for Marathi classes for drivers in his constituency and told the transport minister to give drivers more time to learn Marathi.
ClaimMurji Patel, Shiv Sena MLA from Andheri East, said 5,200 drivers underwent language training in his constituency, of which 5,130 cleared the exam.
ClaimPatel said he had spoken to Sarnaik, who had assured additional time for drivers to learn the language, and that his constituency has nearly 65,000 north Indian voters.
ClaimSarnaik said during the initial one-month and additional three-month period, drivers' badges would not be cancelled, though suspension action could be taken as per the law.
ClaimSarnaik said Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi, auto-rickshaw and taxi union leader Shashank Rao and others had contacted him over the Marathi language issue.
ClaimSarnaik said the government's Marathi language campaign, including the 'Hinduhṛiday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Language Campaign', would continue.
ClaimAuto-rickshaw drivers protested in Kandivli, alleging harassment from native drivers and expressing panic over rumours of steep RTO fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000.
ClaimThe Transport Department's statewide drive requiring commercial passenger vehicle drivers to demonstrate working knowledge of Marathi was launched on August 20, 2026.
ClaimSarnaik said the initiative had received overwhelmingly positive responses from drivers, who expressed respect for Maharashtra's identity and culture.
ClaimThe state plans to continuously run the 'Hindutvahridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Language Campaign' under the Marathi Language Department.
ClaimThe press conference at Mantralaya was attended by labour leader Shashank Rao and office bearers from the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh.