Taxi row "A Misunderstanding": Ashok Chavan

Maharashtra

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has denied any pressure over the language row involving taxi drivers in the state.

The clarification came after Chava's u-turn on his government's controversial diktat that taxi drivers must read and write Marathi to get licenses.

The Raj Thackeray style announcement provoked widespread outrage and now the chief minister has clarified that it's not just Marathi and local language also includes Hindi and Gujarati.

Chavan's latest statement is an obvious u-turn from official press release on Wednesday.
It said, " It will now be binding on taxi drivers to have lived in the state for 15 years and be able to speak, read and write Marathi."

The Chief Minister, speaking to NDTV, later seemed to change his decision, perhaps because of the widespread criticism. (Watch: Taxi row: Chavan backtracks)

"Taxi drivers need to speak a local language only and the local language includes Marathi, Hindi, and Gujarati" clarified Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan speaking to NDTV's Barkha Dutt on the decision of his government to give licenses only to those taxi drivers who know how to read, write and speak the local language. (Watch: No Marathi, no taxi on The Buck Stops Here)

"The decision of the Cabinet has gone by the Maharashtra Motor vehicles rules which we have not framed today but as early as 1989. As per that rule, there are two important portions that you must clearly understand. Rule four of the Maharashtra motor vehicle clearly says that for a person to have a permit, 15 years of domicile is compulsory. And the second rule is also twenty years old, framed in 1989. It says that for a taxi badge for a driver, working knowledge of local language is necessary. The local language can be Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati..it can include anything...the knowledge of the local language is necessary," Chavan said.

"Working knowledge of local language is needed. You can get a taxi permit if you know how to speak the local language which is spoken widely such as Marathi, Gujarati. He should be able to speak a local language," he added.

But earlier in the day, the Chief Minister had clearly said only those who know Marathi can drive a taxi in Mumbai. (Read & Watch: Mumbai: Taxi drivers must know Marathi)

"We are trying to organise the sector. The government wants the drivers have to be able to speak, read and write Marathi.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

In all 4,000 new permits will be given each year.

Expectedly, taxi drivers are not willing to accept this. "I have not received any circular yet... This condition is not acceptable to us as taxi drivers are staying here for many years. Why the condition now?" asked  AL Quadros, General Secretary of the Mumbai Taximens Union.

This move is being seen as a political one, with the Congress possibly trying to make inroads into Shiv Sena and MNS vote banks. Migrants in Mumbai have, however, traditionally supported the ruling Congress, and the party may stand to lose in these quarters. (Read & Watch: Mumbai taxi row: Politics as usual)