Maharashtra govt tries to be one up on Raj Thackeray

MUMBAI: In an ugly manifestation of chauvinism, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday tried to be one up on Raj Thackeray. The Congress-NCP government has made proficiency in Marathi compulsory for operating taxis in the state.

Taxi drivers have to be a domicile of Maharashtra for 15 years and should have knowledge of Marathi. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting of the Ashok Chavan government on Wednesday.

Now taxi permits will be available to those who have lived in the state for 15 years. Along with this, the new rules say that to get a permit, the person should also be able to read, speak and write Marathi. The state government plans to release some 4,000 new permits for operating taxis in Mumbai this year.

"There is an attempt to make it(Taxi services) an organised sector and the drivers who will be employed in it should know Marathi, read Marathi and write Marathi. Such is the proposal of the government," Mr Chavan told reporters.
The decision, expectedly, has not gone down well with cabbi-wallas. “Why now? This new condition is not acceptable to us” reacted A L Quadros, general secretary of the Mumbai Taximens Union.

"It is gross injustice to those wanting to drive taxis for livelihood. They are like daily wage earners and cannot go to a school to learn Marathi," Mr Quadros said, adding he would seek legal opinion to challenge the government's decision.

Prem Singh, president of Mumbai Taxi Association, claiming a membership of 25,000, while admitting that the move will adversely affect those wanting to join the profession said his outfit had no issues with the government on learning Marathi. "Most of us already know the language and those who don't should learn it," he said.

Meanwhile, Congress Lok Sabha member from Mumbai (North) Sanjay Nirupam, who hails from Bihar, termed the Cabinet's decision as one "in the interest of the common people" and trashed suggestions that the coalition government led by his party was following Raj Thackeray's agenda.

"There is no question of the government following Raj Thackeray's agenda. The policy being followed by the government in Maharashtra for the last many years is that if the state gives anything-- ranging from a MHADA flat to MIDC land-- it seeks a proof that the beneficiary has been residing in the state for the last 15 years. There is nothing wrong with that," he said. NCP also defended the decision.

State Congress spokesperson Anant Gadgil said his party wants to give preference to locals and that includes people of all caste, creed and religion. "It is a long held view. There was lot of pressure. We are not barring anyone. We are just saying...due to outsiders the locals are not getting opportunity to earn rozi roti."

Shiv Sena welcomed the new taxi license rules. "All the benefits of Maharashtra must go to the locals. A policy has been implemented. I hope this will implemented. This is in line of old policy and many more decisions have to be implemented. The government is duty bound," party spokesperson Subash Desai said.

The move comes a day after state industry minister Rajendra Darda made it clear that the government will strictly enforce 80% reservation for locals even in the private sector. The demand for reservation for locals in private industry was first made by Raj Thackeray last year. Since he received huge response, that later got translated into votes, the issue set the agenda for other political parties.

First to toe the Raj Thackeray line was BJP, which demanded a separate ministry to protect locals. The saffron combine made it part of its election manifesto in the last state assembly election. Soon to follow was the Congress-NCP that excavated a 1974 decision to reserve 80% of jobs for locals in the state. With its decision to make knowledge of Marathi mandatory to run taxies, Congress-NCP has taken the issue to another level.