A case of assault has been registered after a Marathi rickshaw driver was attacked in Kandivali, while non-Marathi drivers have called for a strike against the mandate on Marathi language usage.
The incident in Kandivali has brought the friction between Marathi and non-Marathi rickshaw drivers into the open. The Marathi driver stated that three to four non-Marathi drivers assaulted him and damaged his rickshaw. Following this, workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) detained one non-Marathi driver and handed him over to the police. A formal complaint has been filed at the Kandivali police station regarding the assault.
Concurrently, a section of non-Marathi rickshaw drivers has called for a three-day strike. These drivers have taken to the streets to protest the directive requiring them to speak Marathi. Some drivers have stated their position clearly: “We will speak Bhojpuri and Hindi, but we will not speak Marathi.” This protest has emerged as a direct challenge to the state’s language policy.
The drivers have cited their age and lack of formal education as primary reasons for their inability to learn Marathi quickly. A non-Marathi driver said, “We are 50-60 years old. We have not been to school. How will we speak Marathi? If we had studied, we would be sitting in offices today.” They also expressed frustration over penalties being imposed, stating that they are being fined ₹15,000 to ₹20,000, which they cannot afford. They plan to continue the strike until they receive what they consider justice.
On the other hand, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has addressed the protests with a warning. He said that any “mujori” (stubbornness) would be dealt with strictly. His statement added a layer of intensity to the ongoing dispute.
The development follows a growing debate over language enforcement in Mumbai. The protest by non-Marathi drivers and the assault incident have highlighted the broader tensions in the city regarding the implementation of the Marathi language rule for public transport operators. The matter has also drawn attention from political parties, with the MNS taking a proactive role in the Kandivali assault case. The strike and the protest demand that the government reconsider its approach to language enforcement for long-term residents and workers from other States.
Published – August 26, 2026 11:13 pm IST
