Two Senas, one Marathi plank: Language rule opens up a new battleground

On the fourth day of Maharashtra's Marathi language rule crackdown on migrant auto and taxi drivers, notices were served to those who had attended language classes during the 105-day campaign. On August 24, regional transport offices (RTOs) conducted on-ground checks of drivers' Marathi-speaking skills. In Ghatkopar, near the railway station, a team from the Wadala RTO stopped drivers and tested their Marathi knowledge.

While most appeared to pass the basic test, some struggled to respond despite having attended sessions. Auto-driver Mritunjay Singh, who migrated from Uttar Pradesh, produced a certificate showing he had completed the training programme. "I attended the four classes back in July but was not able to pick up speaking the language owing to differences in the tone and difficulties in the dialect," he said.

RTO officials noted that several drivers appeared hesitant to speak Marathi despite understanding it. Wadala Motor Vehicle Inspector Rahul Pawar stated that they encourage drivers to know at least conversational Marathi to communicate with passengers. Drivers who fail to demonstrate basic Marathi understanding are given a month to learn the language, after which they will be called for another oral test.

Some migrant drivers protested the crackdown in Kandivali, blockading the link road near Laljipada and alleging harassment. They claimed that native Marathi-speaking drivers had been warning migrant drivers to learn the language. The crackdown has prompted some drivers to alter their routes to avoid encounters with enforcement teams.