Mumbai, Aug. 19 -- Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislative Party in Maharashtra Amin Patel on Wednesday urged Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik to extend the deadline for non-Marathi-speaking taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers to acquire knowledge of Marathi, citing concerns over their livelihoods.
The Maharashtra government is set to implement from Thursday a new rule requiring commercial vehicle drivers to have practical knowledge of Marathi.
In a letter to the Transport Minister dated August 19, Patel said thousands of drivers from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh come to Mumbai in search of work and depend on operating taxis and auto-rickshaws for their livelihood.
He said the Transport Department's rule...