Mumbai auto permits only for Marathi speakers

A new rule by Maharashtra state transport department has sparked a controversy. It has decided to issue new one Lakh auto rickshaw permits in November in Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The government however has put a condition that the applicant must know Marathi and should be domicile resident of the state. Former NCP state minister for transport Sachin Ahir claimed that the mandatory clause of ability to speak Marathi is wrong and there should be no compulsion.