India, May 11 -- As the August 15 deadline for the city's auto rickshaw and cab drivers to pick up Marathi draws nearer, unions affiliated to the BJP and Shiv Sena have sprung into action. Using the booklet printed by the transport department to acquaint migrant drivers with a working knowledge of Marathi, the unions have begun holding training sessions. Two unions distributed the booklets at workshops with drivers on Saturday and Sunday, while a third union is expected to hold a similar training session next week.

The booklet, titled 'Maharashtra is my state. Marathi is my language!', has been brought out with the assistance of Marathi litterateurs and language experts. It contains simple Marathi phrases commonly used in conversations b...