Mumbai, January 26: The government had backtracked on its promise that only those who know Marathi would drive taxis; the MNS on Monday set about the task of ensuring that those who drive taxis do know Marathi.
Activists of the MNS’s transport wing went out on Mumbai’s streets, distributed Marathi books among taxi drivers and gave them 40 days to learn the language, or leave Mumbai.
Starting off at LBS Road in Kurla, they distributed Class-I Marathi textbooks among drivers of fleet taxis and radio cabs. “We will distribute 50,000 such textbooks.
Activists will park themselves on traffic signals and give these books to drivers, including those of the old black-and-yellow cabs, who do not know Marathi,” said Haji Arafat Sheikh, vice president of the MNS’s transport wing, who had earlier initiated a 354-day “Hatt Puja” campaign to outs “outsiders” who had allegedly got illegal papers for various jobs in Mumbai.
“If taxi drivers cannot learn from the book in 40 days and speak to passengers in Marathi, we will give them a return ticket to UP,” he said. “When these UP drivers go to the Gulf countries they learn Arabic. Why can’t the same happen in Maharashtra? Passengers should try and talk with drivers only in Marathi.”
Mohammed Rafiq, 62, who has been driving a Premier Padmini in Mumbai for four decades, said people should respect the local language and religion.
“I was born in Mumbai and know Marathi well. If you come to Maharashtra to earn money then there is no harm in speaking the language of the land. However, even Maharashtrian passengers don’t speak to us in Marathi. If they do, all taxi drivers will have to learn Marathi.”
Yakub Pawaskar, a fleet taxi driver for 36 years, alleged bias against locals. “Despite my birth in Mumbai I still don’t have a permit in my name. People from UP get one in 15 days,” he said.
Since the controversy broke, representatives of Mega Cab with a fleet of 250 taxis have advised their 300 drivers to learn Marathi as it would be an “advantage to business and add local flavor”.
“We have sent an SMS to drivers. If a driver speaks Marathi, he will attract more business from locals,” said Mahesh Kumar, locations head for Mumbai, adding that the fleet would also make an effort to ensure that its drivers in Kolkata learn Bengali.
—Agencies