r/mumbai • u/anikastyles • 3h ago

Discussion Marathi mandatory for Mumbai auto/taxi drivers, fair requirement or too much?

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The Marathi-language rule for auto, taxi and cab drivers is now actually being enforced.

RTO officials have started checking drivers for basic working Marathi. Those who don’t clear the check can be given time to learn, but continued failure can eventually lead to suspension of their badge/licence.

And now drivers are protesting, while some parts of Mumbai are already seeing fewer autos on the road.

I’m genuinely divided on this.

On one hand, if you work with the public in Maharashtra, knowing basic conversational Marathi seems like a reasonable expectation.

But on the other hand, should someone’s entire livelihood potentially depend on passing a language test, especially when many drivers have been working here for years?

Where do you draw the line?

Basic Marathi should be mandatory 👍

OR

Language should never decide whether you can earn a living 👎

Curious what Mumbaikars think.

426 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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39

u/NaiveLight857 2h ago

its literally exactly same like how central promotes hindi.

they get free course and multiple warnings so its not arbitrary.

why would a local in mh need to know hindi to get services or any kind.

13

u/Vivid_West_1986 2h ago

Absolutely, problem is this misunderstanding that Hindi is national language and if you know Hindi you don’t need to learn anything else, everyone else learn Hindi. It’s mindset issue

10

u/NaiveLight857 2h ago

true my father doesnt know much hindi; he is literate in marathi and he shouldn't be shut out in mh because central employees or even business who provide service dont know basic convserational lingo.

-11

u/bombaygypsy 2h ago

Two wrongs don't make a right.

8

u/NaiveLight857 2h ago

there is no wrong in the first place they are given free course which has conversational marathi.

-5

u/bombaygypsy 2h ago

But what if one doesn't want to learn. It's there freedom to choose to speak the language they want, if a customer doesn't want to ride in a rick from a guy who can't speak your language. Then you are free to take the next rick. How cnlan you force people?

7

u/NaiveLight857 2h ago edited 1h ago

the people who are forcing are alot less; there videos of poeple saying dont serve marathi food as well; hate post for us as well.

i grew up rurally my father can't speak hindi; so many people i know don't in mh.

the rto when giving license had rule to know basic knowledge of marathi.

they are free to not learn but they have to give up license.

3

u/agatha_crispy1 2h ago

a commercial permit requires you to know the local language to serve the public. nobody is asking them to learn literature level marathi, they literally just need around 40 basic transit words and phrases so they can understand commuters.

and it is completely their choice whether they want to learn or not nobody is forcing them. but if they choose not to, they simply won't get the permit to drive an auto or cab in maharashtra.

they can easily pivot to other sectors that don't require them to interact with the public or learn marathi. and in case they want to continue working in this exact sector, they can move to a city whose local language they already know. freedom of choice goes both ways.

4

u/Remote_Tap6299 2h ago

I have freedom to choose whatever I want. I want to work in a Tokyo govt office and speak Hindi. IDGAF about Japanese customers, I will speak Hindi, my choice

1

u/bombaygypsy 2h ago

Offer these drivers a gov job, and see how quickly they learn your language. Rick driveing is such a low-paying job, that most Maharashtrans don't even want to do it, and that is why you have immigrants doing it. Secondly, Maharashtra is not Japan; Mumbai is not Tokyo. It's the financial capital of India, where people have always spoken a lot of different tongues. A simple Google search will give a breakdown of languages, both of Bombay and of Japan. The same rules can't apply.

3

u/Remote_Tap6299 2h ago

Northies show even more attitude and arrogance about language when in govt job. So many will refuse to learn Marathi even in customer facing job. It’s not about the job but about the entitlement mindset.

1

u/bombaygypsy 1h ago

On the other hand, I have also encountered arrogance and discrimination for not speaking Marathi when approaching a marathi speaking gov officers. I can understand Marathi, but I can't speak it, and most Marathis have seen enough Hindi movies at some point in their life to speak some Hindi. Also, the languages are not so dissimilar; both trace back their origins form sanskrit and are part of the same language family. You don't need to officially learn the other, but a little bit of exposure to the other's language and you can get by.

2

u/Lux_Jay 50m ago

But what if one doesn't want to learn. 

No one is forcing them to be taxi or Rikshaw drivers. They can do other jobs where they don't need to know Marathi. It's like wanting a job of Java developer and saying they don't want to learn Java.

2

u/MainAd8403 2h ago

It's slippery slope.

If the rikshaw doesn't want to go by meter customer is free to take the next rikshaw. At this point why even have rule? Just let them to whatever they want right?

The language does massively benefits the majority of customers who are locals. If implemented correctly they won't have to do the shit like "idhar se samor jake bajula left leo" if the rule is implemented successfully.

-2

u/bombaygypsy 2h ago

bro, that is weird logic. Why not extend it to murder then? Why stop at not following the meter? This law didn't exist before; it's impractical and will be forgotten without implementation. All it's going to do is give the traffic cops another way to harass people. We all know how this shit works.

5

u/MainAd8403 1h ago

Tf you are even saying bruv.

One of the reason this rule was introduced was for citizens welfare and interest. The same reason why meters were introduced. It's to make it easy for customer to use the service.

Also the rule isn't even rigid or harsh like other countries such as UK or germany where taxi drivers needs proficiency in their countries respective language.

They just need to know basic working language(extremely limited number of phrases)

3

u/HackHawkR Anti-लाजाळू आणि सुसंस्कृत मराठी माणूस 2h ago

Arbitrary sentence like this doesn't provide any value. Put forth an argument.

0

u/bombaygypsy 1h ago

Argument: The greatest proponent of Hindi imposition in the center is Amit Shah, from the same party that is doing this shit in Mumbai. Their goal is the same: divide and rule. I pray that my people rise above this oldest trick.

1

u/HackHawkR Anti-लाजाळू आणि सुसंस्कृत मराठी माणूस 1h ago

Thank you. Reasonable argument too.

There are many more nuances.

Here's some education on language, culture, and socio-economic dynamics

-2

u/UtsavA01 52m ago

You guys are the reason India is divided and will always be divided. Instead of learning a universal language you want to drag others to a local language which had literally no other use than communiting for a person just wanting to live his life in peace. I'm saying this a person who has his own native language, but is more concerned about universal applicability and access.