On Sunday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the Delhi government over a hospital circular that directed nursing staff not to speak in Malayalam at work.

The circular, issued by the Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (GIPMER), has asked the staff not to use Malayalam at work as it causes a lot of inconvenience. It added that "maximum patients and colleagues do not know this language."

According to the circular, "A complaint has been received regarding Malayalam language being used for communication in working places in GIPMER. Whereas maximum patient and colleagues do not know this language and feel helpless causing a lot of inconvenience".

"So, it is directed to all nursing personnel to use only Hindi and English for communication. Otherwise, serious action will be taken,” it added.

The BJP pointed out the irony wherein the Delhi government requested Kerala for oxygen during the Covid crisis which is underway, and has now attempted to snatch its peoples' right to speak in their language with each other.

With the Delhi government-run G B Pant hospital now revoking the order and promising strict action in the matter after a row erupted over its earlier circular, BJP spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said the "withdrawal in a haste clearly indicates we have an anarchist state government for whom the Constitution of India and its recognized language do not matter."

"It is an irony that when this government was in need of oxygen, the request was directed to Kerala and now comes their attempt to snatch their right to speak in Malayalam amongst each other," he added.

Vadakkan also mentioned that he was surprised at the "deafening silence" from the Kerala government on the matter.

Speaking to PTI, G B Pant nurses’ association president Liladhar Ramchandani, said the circular was issued in pursuance of a complaint sent by a patient to a senior officer in the health department, regarding use of Malayalam language at the hospital. He added that the union "disagrees with the wordings used in the circular".

Ramchandani, who is also the secretary general of Delhi Nurses Federation said, "As a language's name, Malayalam, has been inserted in the circular, many will take offence."

Image courtesy: AP