Published Nov 04, 2024 | 11:45 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 04, 2024 | 11:45 AM
File photo of John Brittas. (JBrittas/Facebook)
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas on Sunday, 3 November, raised concerns over the Union Government’s practice of sending “Hindi-only” responses to MPs.
The MP from Kerala called it a breach of statutory language regulations that hinders non-Hindi-speaking representatives from effectively fulfilling their parliamentary duties.
Brittas protested by writing in Malayalam to Minister of State (MoS) for Railways Ravneet Singh after receiving replies in Hindi to his parliamentary queries.
Taking to X, Brittas highlighted that traditionally, MPs from southern states have received responses in English.
However, he noted that this norm is now being disregarded, with Singh — also known as Ravneet Bittu — opting to send communications exclusively in Hindi.
In protest, Brittas shared the minister’s Hindi replies and his own Malayalam response, stating, “It has been a norm and precedent that letters addressed from Union Govt to south MPs are written in English. Lately, however, that’s not the case, and Ravneet Bittu makes it a point to write exclusively in Hindi. Am compelled to reply to him in Malayalam!
Brittas in his letter to Ravneet in Malayalam said,
“In our country with a diverse linguistic culture, Hindi is only one of the 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, and our policy and practice is to use English (mandatory for South Indians) along with Hindi for official communication. Moreover, Section 3 of the Official Languages Act, 1963 stipulates that the Central Government shall continue to use English for all official purposes and shall also use English for communications related to parliamentary proceedings. This is a blatant violation of this approach on your part.”
It has been a norm and precedent that letters addressed from Union Govt to south MPs are written in English. Lately however that’s not the case, and @RavneetBittu makes it a point to write exclusively in Hindi. Am compelled to reply him in Malayalam!@AshwiniVaishnaw pic.twitter.com/Yf2uvi4WLz
— John Brittas (@JohnBrittas) November 3, 2024
Earlier, on 25 October, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Rajya Sabha MP Pudukottai MM Abdullah had also cited concerns over Union MoS Singh sending a letter to him in Hindi.
In reply to the minister, he said in a Tamil letter that he could not understand Hindi.
Abdulla also noted that he had made several reminders to officials posted in the office of Singh that he could not follow Hindi, the communications were still being sent in the same language.
Posting copies of the minister’s letter and his response in Tamil, Abdullah said,” I hope they understand…”
மாண்புமிகு.ரயில்வே இணை அமைச்சர் அவர்களின் அலுவலகத்தில் இருந்து எப்போதும் இந்தியில்தான் கடிதம் வருகிறது. அவரது அலுவலக அதிகாரிகளை அழைத்து “எனக்கு இந்தி தெரியாததால் ஆங்கிலத்தில் கடிதத்தை அனுப்புங்கள்” என்று சொல்லியும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் இந்தியிலேயே கடிதம் வருகிறது. தற்போது அவருக்கு… pic.twitter.com/1kekbfuQdD
— Pudukkottai M.M.Abdulla (@pudugaiabdulla) October 25, 2024
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
