Mumbai: Bollywood actor Ritiesh Deshmukh has backed Maharashtra Government’s decision to make knowledge of Marathi compulsory for licensed auto and taxi drivers in the state. Marathi language should be mandatory in Maharashtra, he said on Wednesday.
Ritiesh and his wife Genelia Deshmukh were appointed brand ambassadors of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).
According to officials, Riteish and Genelia will serve as brand ambassadors for the next five years and will participate in its campaigns about road safety, passenger awareness and social messages.
The agreement formalising their appointment was signed at Mantralaya, the state secretariat, in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who is also the chairman of the MSRTC.
Speaking to the media, Ritiesh strongly advocated for the mandatory use of Marathi in Maharashtra, supporting the compulsion of Marathi for auto-taxi drivers. Saying that Marathi is essential, he emphasised that it should be spoken, especially in public transport.
“In Maharashtra, the Marathi language must be mandatory. As the majority of people in the state native speakers, speaking the local language should be mandatory. Similarly, when we visit other states, we too should speak their language. Therefore, this decision (to make Marathi mandatory) is indeed the right one,” Ritiesh said.
The Maharashtra government has made it mandatory for all licensed auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers across the state to know Marathi from May 1, with licences of non-compliant drivers liable to be cancelled.
Issuing a warning, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik Sarnaik said, “From May 1, it will be mandatory for all licensed rickshaw and taxi drivers to be able to read and write Marathi. The licences of drivers who do not follow the rules will be cancelled. Also, strict action will be taken against transport officials who ignore the rules and issue licences incorrectly.”
However, the Mumbai Autorickshaw Men’s Union, along with other organizations, has opposed this mandate and has called for a strike starting May 4.
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