Marathi Ekikaran Samiti Protests Extension For Cab Drivers

The Marathi Ekikaran Samiti has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Maharashtra government's decision to give auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers an additional year to learn Marathi.

The organisation's members and supporters gathered at Hutatma Chowk in Mumbai to pay tribute to the 107 martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement and protest against the government's decision.

Participants arrived from various areas, including Mumbai, its suburbs, Vasai-Virar, Thane, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai and neighbouring areas.

The Samiti argued that the one-year extension granted to drivers had hurt the sentiments of Marathi-speaking residents and that the government should take a clear and time-bound approach towards implementing Marathi language requirements.

Marathi Ekikaran Samiti president Govardhan Deshmukh said the government should not provide any unnecessary relaxation in implementing the policy, and that there can be no compromise on the question of Maharashtra's identity.

The organisation linked its protest to the legacy of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, in which 107 people lost their lives during the struggle for a separate Marathi-speaking state.

Deshmukh said the Samiti would continue its campaign through democratic and constitutional means, and that a delegation of the organisation is expected to meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde within the next two days.

The Samiti has also warned that it may explore legal options if the government does not take what it considers a satisfactory decision.

The issue is not merely about language but is linked to Maharashtra's cultural and historical identity, the organisation maintained.

The Maharashtra government's decision to give drivers an additional year to learn Marathi was seen as a relaxation in the implementation of Marathi language requirements, which has been a long-standing demand of the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti.

The organisation's protest is a significant development in the ongoing debate over the importance of Marathi language in Maharashtra.

The outcome of the meeting between the Samiti and the government will be closely watched, as it may have implications for the implementation of Marathi language requirements in the state.

In the meantime, the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti has made it clear that it will continue to fight for the rights of Marathi-speaking residents and for the protection of Maharashtra's cultural and historical identity.