Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Maharashtra Marathi Rule Fuels Rivalry Between Two Shiv Senas
Maharashtra is testing whether auto and taxi drivers can speak enough Marathi to communicate with passengers.
The government says this will help people use public transport more easily.
On the first day, thousands of drivers were checked, and some received notices because they did not pass.
Drivers who fail first get time to learn Marathi and try again.
Some drivers say they are willing to learn but need more training centres and extra time.
Older drivers say learning is especially difficult because many had little schooling.
The two Shiv Sena parties agree that Marathi matters, but they disagree about who is protecting Marathi workers.
They are also arguing about whether bike taxis could reduce auto drivers’ incomes.
Maharashtra began checking auto and taxi drivers’ working knowledge of Marathi on August 20.
Officials checked 8,217 drivers on the first day and issued 1,268 notices for inadequate Marathi skills.
The Eknath Shinde-led Sena supports enforcement, while the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) supports Marathi learning but raises livelihood concerns.
Auto unions say drivers need more time and better access to training, especially older workers with limited formal education.
The BJP and Congress have avoided opposing Marathi learning outright but have questioned strict enforcement and sought more time for drivers.
- Who
- The Maharashtra government, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), auto unions, and auto and taxi drivers.
- What
- The government is enforcing Marathi language checks for auto and taxi drivers, prompting protests and political disagreement.
- When
- Checks began on August 20; a driver protest took place on Monday, with no year specified in the articles.
- Where
- Mumbai and parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including Kandivali Link Road.
- Why
- The government says drivers should be able to communicate with passengers in Marathi, while unions and opposition figures are concerned about training access, penalties, jobs, and incomes.
Government and Marathi-language enforcement
Drivers and livelihood concerns
Need for language checks
Government and Marathi-language enforcement
The Shinde-led government and Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik say drivers who deal with passengers should have a working knowledge of Marathi.
Drivers and livelihood concerns
Auto unions say drivers are ready to learn Marathi but need more time and sufficient access to training.
Penalties and timing
Government and Marathi-language enforcement
The government has introduced tests, a one-month learning period after a first failure, and suspensions for repeated failures.
Drivers and livelihood concerns
Drivers argue that fines, training shortages, age, and limited formal education make the current process difficult to meet.
Protecting Marathi workers
Government and Marathi-language enforcement
The Shinde Sena presents enforcement as putting the Marathi cause into everyday government rules.
Drivers and livelihood concerns
The Uddhav Sena (UBT) says protecting Marathi people also requires protecting auto drivers’ jobs and incomes, and opposes allowing bike taxis that it says could hurt their earnings.
- First-day checks
- Officials checked 8,217 drivers.
- Notices issued
- 1,268 drivers were served notices for failing to show the required working knowledge of Marathi.
- Retesting period
- Drivers who fail initially receive one month to learn Marathi and retake the test.
- Possible penalty
- A second failure can result in a three-month suspension, with stronger action for repeat violations.
- Union request
- Shashank Rao sought a three-month extension for drivers to complete Marathi training.
- Protest location
- A section of auto drivers blocked Kandivali Link Road during a three-day protest.
- Government representative
- Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik is overseeing and defending the enforcement.