Now,only Marathi with foreign guests

Two days after the order on taxi permits,the Maharashtra governments draft cultural policy has recommended that ministers should speak in Marathi...

Two days after the order on taxi permits,the Maharashtra governments draft cultural policy has recommended that ministers should speak in Marathi at government functions and also interact with foreign dignitaries in Marathi,with interpreters to help them communicate.

On Wednesday,the state government mandated that those seeking taxi permits in the state should know Marathi and also have lived in the state for at least 15 years. But following national outrage,the order was diluted on Thursday,to include knowledge of any local language like Hindi or Gujarati.

The draft cultural policy submitted to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Friday has recommended a slew of measures to promote Marathi language and culture,including setting up an academy for spoken Marathi. The policy is scheduled to be formally declared on May 1 the foundation day of the state.

The committee,headed by Dr A H Salunke,was formed in August last year. The recommendations include: setting aside four per cent of the states budget for cultural affairs,setting up a fund,constructing a Bhasha Bhavan in Mumbai,creating a dictionary of standard Marathi,setting up an academy to promote spoken Marathi,appointing Marathi officers on the lines of Hindi officers in state government offices and central government departments,constructing amphitheatres in tehsils,drama theatres with 350 to 500 seats in district headquarters and creating a state Lalit Kala Academy to promote fine arts.

Kasab can speak Marathi,why cant migrants: Sena

MUMBAI: Attacking the Ashok Chavan government for toning down the order on taxi permits,Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Friday warned of a public backlash if Marathi was not respected in Mumbai.

In a signed open letter to Chavan published in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna,Thackeray said Maharashtrians had expressed surprise about a Congress CM taking a pro-Maharashtrian stand and were hence expecting the Michael Jackson style moonwalk done by you within a few hours. An editorial in Saamna stated,When Ajmal Kasab can learn Marathi,and answer questions in court in Marathi,then why cant migrant taxi drivers,and people like Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi learn Marathi? ENS