Mumbai:
The Maharashtra government may have done a U-turn on taxi drivers requiring to know Marathi to drive in Mumbai, but that in itself has once again prised open the ever simmering insider-outsider debate, bringing those from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who have driven in Mumbai for years once again to the brink of insecurity and feeling unwelcome.
For 12 years, Mahendra Kumar Pandey has been driving Mumbai around. But much as he feels at home, 12 years has perhaps not been enough for the city to accept him.
''This city has given me everything. My own taxi. I am able to feed my family with the money I earn. It's helped me get my sister married. Mumbai has given me a lot. Everything, except respect,'' said Mahendra Kumar Pandey, a taxi driver from Uttar Pradesh.
''We are insecure. We fear that we might be asked to leave any moment,'' he added.
He says be it jobs, queues for ration or water, they attract anger for being the outsider.
"They look at us with revulsion. The question of caste also comes into play sometimes,'' said Chhotelal, another taxi driver from Uttar Pradesh.
Working at the city's grassroots but remaining outsiders, these taxi drivers were first branded by the Shiv Sena and now by the MNS as Hindi-speaking outsiders taking away jobs from Maharashtrians.
A dislike that's erupted more than once and now the government's Marathi-only faux pas has once again opened up a wound that had barely healed.
"If I take a permit from someone I will have to pay him 80,000 to 1 lakh. If we get permits we will not have to worry. If we do not get preference in Maharashtra where else can we expect it?" said Vasant Nikam, a Maharashtrian taxi driver.
"If I had a choice, I would rather live and work in my own state. I am working here because I do not have a choice," said Mahendra Kumar Pandey.
For 12 years, Mahendra Kumar Pandey has been driving Mumbai around. But much as he feels at home, 12 years has perhaps not been enough for the city to accept him.
''This city has given me everything. My own taxi. I am able to feed my family with the money I earn. It's helped me get my sister married. Mumbai has given me a lot. Everything, except respect,'' said Mahendra Kumar Pandey, a taxi driver from Uttar Pradesh.
''We are insecure. We fear that we might be asked to leave any moment,'' he added.
He says be it jobs, queues for ration or water, they attract anger for being the outsider.
"They look at us with revulsion. The question of caste also comes into play sometimes,'' said Chhotelal, another taxi driver from Uttar Pradesh.
Working at the city's grassroots but remaining outsiders, these taxi drivers were first branded by the Shiv Sena and now by the MNS as Hindi-speaking outsiders taking away jobs from Maharashtrians.
A dislike that's erupted more than once and now the government's Marathi-only faux pas has once again opened up a wound that had barely healed.
"If I take a permit from someone I will have to pay him 80,000 to 1 lakh. If we get permits we will not have to worry. If we do not get preference in Maharashtra where else can we expect it?" said Vasant Nikam, a Maharashtrian taxi driver.
"If I had a choice, I would rather live and work in my own state. I am working here because I do not have a choice," said Mahendra Kumar Pandey.
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