‘If Auto-Rickshaw Drivers Speak In Hindi, Will Beat Them Up’: MNS Leader Amit Thackeray

Last Updated:August 27, 2026, 9:43 PM IST

Amit Thackeray, son of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, linked CM Devendra Fadnavis’ latest move to give auto-rickshaw and cab drivers a year to learn Marathi, with the UP elections.

MNS Leader Amit Thackeray (Photo: ANI)

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Thackeray on Thursday called Hindi a “language of Uttar Pradesh” and said his party will beat any auto-rickshaw driver who is found speaking Hindi.

Amit Thackeray, son of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, linked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ latest move to give auto-rickshaw and cab drivers a year to learn Marathi, with the Uttar Pradesh elections.

“If it comes to our notice that someone (an auto-rickshaw driver) is speaking in Hindi or behaving rudely, then we will beat them. Don’t tell people that they have to speak UP’s language or that they have to speak Hindi. We will speak in Marathi… We have understood how much affection you (Devendra Fadnavis) have for the Marathi language and for our state. You go to Gujarat, you go to Punjab, you go to the South. Everywhere there is an attachment to one’s own language. Now, because the UP elections are coming, you are giving a one-year extension. What kind of desperation has come upon you that we should set aside our own language, that we should set aside our own state?” he said.

What Fadnavis Said?

Earlier in the day, CM Fadnavis announced that the state government has decided to give auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers one year to learn functional Marathi.

No action will be taken against drivers during this period for not having the required knowledge of the state’s official language, he said, days after the Transport Department headed by Shiv Sena minister Pratap Sarnaik carried out a checking drive and issued notices to the drivers who failed a Marathi test.

Representatives of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers’ organisations, led by Haji Arfat Shaikh, met him, Fadnavis told reporters, adding that they fully supported the rule that drivers should learn basic Marathi and were willing to learn it.

However, the representatives pointed out that drivers belong to different age groups and many of them had left formal education years ago, making it difficult to learn Marathi in a short period, the chief minister said.

“They requested that they be given one year’s time. The state government has accepted their demand and is giving them one year. No action will be taken during this period,” Fadnavis said.

During the one-year period, Marathi classes will be organised and study material will be provided to help auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers learn functional Marathi, he said.

“They have themselves come forward and are willing to learn. Therefore, it was necessary to give them time,” the chief minister said.

What Was Marathi Rule?

The government had announced in April that non-Marathi drivers must learn basic Marathi, and set a deadline of August 15 while organising Marathi classes for them.

On August 20, the transport department issued notices to 1,268 commercial passenger vehicle drivers — mainly auto rickshaw and taxi drivers — for not having adequate knowledge of Marathi on the first day of state-wide checking, Sarnaik had informed.

The drivers failing the Marathi test were given one month to acquire the working knowledge of the state’s primary language, failing which their badges will be suspended for three months, the minister had said.

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Will the MNS enforce its threat against Hindi-speaking drivers?

MNS leader Amit Thackeray stated on Thursday that the party will beat any auto-rickshaw driver found speaking Hindi.

How will the Marathi language classes for drivers be implemented?

Marathi classes will be organised, and study material will be provided to help auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers learn functional Marathi. The state government will bear the cost of this training. The Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh and Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad are involved in teaching Marathi to drivers. The State Transport Department and various literary bodies are jointly organising a statewide language campaign.

What impact will this language policy have on Mumbai’s transport?

The language policy requiring auto and taxi drivers to learn Marathi has led to strikes and protests, causing public transport problems in Mumbai. Approximately 70% of Mumbai’s auto and taxi drivers are from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

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Saurabh VermaChief Sub-Editor

Saurabh Verma is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, specializing in Indian politics, national current affairs, and breaking global news. With years of experience tracking power shifts, election strateg…Read More

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