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Senior actor Vidyadhar Joshi slams compulsory Marathi rule for drivers
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News18•06-10-2026, 16:24
Senior actor Vidyadhar Joshi slams compulsory Marathi rule for drivers
- •A major uproar has been ongoing in Maharashtra regarding the compulsion of the Marathi language for auto-rickshaw, taxi, and cab drivers.
- •Senior Marathi theatre and film actor Vidyadhar Joshi has expressed candid views on this ongoing issue.
- •Joshi stated that forcing language on ordinary drivers is not out of love for the language, but merely a political stunt.
- •He mentioned that he personally does not insist on taxi drivers knowing Marathi and focuses on communication.
- •He accused politicians of using such emotional subjects to divert public attention when devoid of concrete development issues.
Key Questions Answered
Drivers who fail to demonstrate the required working knowledge of Marathi can face a written notice, and their driving licence and badge can be suspended for up to three months or cancelled.
Senior actor Vidyadhar Joshi expressed displeasure, calling the compulsion a political stunt used by politicians to distract the public when they lack real welfare issues, while noting that he personally does not mind if a driver knows Marathi.
Under the amended rules announced by State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, app-based cab drivers working for platforms such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido are required to demonstrate a working knowledge of Marathi.
