Debate Over Marathi Language Exams for Mumbai Drivers Heats Up

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam has raised concerns over the Maharashtra government's decision to make Marathi exams mandatory for autorickshaw and taxi drivers. In a letter to Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, Nirupam urged the government to reconsider, emphasizing that language taught with love endures, while enforced rules instill fear.

Nirupam, representing the Mahayuti coalition, suggests a humanitarian perspective in the issue. He advocates for recognition of broken or working Marathi, asserting that insisting on language proficiency through exams could harm drivers whose mother tongue isn't Marathi and affect their livelihoods.

Sarnaik announced the compulsory Marathi language policy earlier, inciting discontent among drivers across Maharashtra, many from non-Marathi backgrounds. Nirupam warned of potential disruptions to Mumbai's transportation, as trade unions have threatened protests. He remarks that this enforcement might jeopardize the income of diligent drivers, indispensable to Mumbai's bustling life.