It was on Saturday that authorities in GB Pant Hospital, Delhi issued a circular asking its nursing staff not to use Malayalam at work. The circular also noted that most of the patients who are admitted to the hospital do not know Malayalam, and it asked the nursing staff to communicate either in Hindi or English. As the circular received mixed reactions, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has urged the authorities to stop discrimination based on language.
Rahul Gandhi reacts against language discrimination
In a recent tweet, Rahul Gandhi made it clear that Malayalam is also a language in India, and urged to stop language discrimination.
The circular, issued by the Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (GIPMER) also noted that strict actions will be taken against the nursing staff who break the language rule. Authorities also added that this decision has been taken after receiving complaints from patients regarding the wide usage of Malayalam among the nursing staff.
Malayalam is as Indian as any other Indian language.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 6, 2021
Stop language discrimination! pic.twitter.com/SSBQiQyfFi
"A complaint has been received regarding Malayalam language being used for communication in working places in GIPMER. Whereas maximum patients and colleagues do not know this language and feel helpless causing a lot of inconveniences. So, it is directed to all nursing personnel to use only Hindi and English for communication. Otherwise, serious action will be taken," read the circular issued by the nursing superintendent of GIPMER.
Discrimination against Malayalam?
Delhi Nurses Federation general secretary Liladhar Ramchandani said that many nurses will take it as an offense as the term ''Malayalam'' has been included in the circular. Ramchandani also added that there are no issues persisting among nurses and the administration.
The news of banning Malayalam has received sharp criticisms from Kerala, and netizens are lashing out at Delhi hospital authorities for targeting nurses in Keralites for speaking their mother tongue.
