Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Fadnavis Pause Order Exposes Sena-BJP Rivalry Over Marathi Drivers
The Maharashtra government wants auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers to learn basic Marathi.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said drivers would get one extra year to do this.
During that year, they will not face punishment or legal action for not knowing enough Marathi.
The government plans to provide classes and learning materials.
Shiv Sena leaders had been strongly promoting the Marathi-training campaign.
They accepted the extra time but said there should be no more extensions afterward.
The BJP appears concerned that the issue could become a bigger fight between Marathi- and Hindi-speaking groups.
The disagreement also shows competition between the BJP and Shiv Sena over who leads the Marathi issue.
Devendra Fadnavis gave auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers another year to learn basic Marathi.
The government said there would be no punitive or legal action against drivers during the extension.
The decision followed Eknath Shinde’s event where 20,000 drivers received Marathi-training certificates in Borivali.
Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik supported the extension but said Marathi enforcement should begin after one year.
The move seeks to preserve the language requirement while preventing a wider Marathi-versus-Hindi political dispute.
- Who
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, and auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers.
- What
- The government extended the deadline for drivers to learn basic Marathi by one year and suspended punitive or legal action during that period.
- When
- The decision was announced one day after Eknath Shinde distributed Marathi-training certificates to 20,000 drivers in Borivali.
- Where
- Maharashtra, including the Borivali certificate-distribution event.
- Why
- Drivers’ representatives requested more time, while the government also sought to reduce protests and avoid turning the policy into a broader language confrontation.
Conciliatory Extension
Firm Enforcement
Deadline and penalties
Conciliatory Extension
Devendra Fadnavis said drivers need another year because of differences in age, education, and profession, and ruled out punitive or legal action during that period.
Firm Enforcement
Pratap Sarnaik said drivers should learn Marathi and warned that there should be no further extension after the additional year.
Political ownership
Conciliatory Extension
The Fadnavis-led government presented the decision as a response to driver organisations’ request and an effort to defuse protests.
Firm Enforcement
Shiv Sena leaders had developed the training campaign and were concerned that the final decision came immediately after the party showcased its work.
Wider language dispute
Conciliatory Extension
The BJP has an interest in preventing the Maharashtra policy from becoming a larger Hindi-versus-Marathi confrontation, particularly with Uttar Pradesh elections approaching.
Firm Enforcement
The Shiv Sena treats Marathi as central to its political identity and argues that people working in Maharashtra should be able to communicate in the state’s language.
- Extension
- Drivers received an additional year to learn basic Marathi.
- Enforcement
- No punitive or legal action will be taken during the additional year.
- Government support
- The state plans to arrange classes and prepare learning materials.
- Borivali event
- Eknath Shinde distributed certificates to 20,000 drivers who completed Marathi training.
- Sarnaik’s figure
- Pratap Sarnaik said about 1.65 lakh drivers had learned Marathi in 105 days.
- Existing rule
- Sarnaik said the government had waited 36 years to implement the 1989 rule.
- Political context
- The BJP is balancing Marathi sentiment in Maharashtra with support among Hindi-speaking voters.