India, April 25 --  Amid the tussle between unions and the state government after the latter's push for Marathi language proficiency among auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, the transport department declared on Friday that it is set to make key amendments to the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The change will require all drivers of public service vehicles - auto-rickshaws, kali-peeli cabs, bikes and aggregator cabs such as Ola and Uber -- across the state to have a knowledge of the local language.

The state's stand stoked politics over language again, with workers from the Raj Thackeray-helmed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) attacking Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam for standing by the drivers (many of whom are from the north...