New Delhi: A Delhi government hospital's circular issued on Saturday asking its nursing staff to not use Malayalam at work ended up stoking controversy.
"Maximum patients and colleagues do not know this language," the hospital stated adding that it was causing inconvenience.
After the critical responses, the circular directing nursing staff to communicate only in Hindi or English has been withdrawn.
The circular issued by the Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (GIPMER) had asked its nurses to use only Hindi and English for communication or face "strict action".
"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," the circular read.
"So, it is directed to all nursing personnel to use only Hindi and English for communication. Otherwise serious action will be taken," it added.
GB Pant nurses' association president Liladhar Ramchandani claimed that the order came in after a complaint was sent by a patient to a senior officer in the health department, regarding the use of Malayalam language at the hospital. "The union disagrees with the wordings used in the circular," she added.
Ramchandani, 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".
He stated that the circular was "consequent of the complaint filed by the patient" and "internally, there is no issue among the nurses and the administration".
Other nursing unions also criticised the circular.
Meanwhile, the matter also gained political traction with Congress leaders questioning the directive. Former party president and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi wrote: "Malayalam is as Indian as any other Indian language. Stop language discrimination!".
Previously, Shashi Tharoor expressed his displeasure calling the order: "unacceptable, crude, offensive and a violation of the basic human rights of Indian citizens".
After facing flak for the issue, the GIPMER Hospital administration has withdrawn the circular stating that it was issued without their information. "This circular dated June 5, 2021 which was issued by Nursing Superitendent, GB Pant Hospital without any instructions or knowledge of the Hospital Administration and Delhi Governmnet stands withdrawn with immediate effect," read the new circular issued by Medical Superintendent today.
Delhi Health Department has also sent a memo to GIPMER in this regard.
Malayali Nurses Union Demands Written Apology
The Malayali nurses union in Delhi has demanded a written apology and "serious action" against those responsible for issuing prior circular
"It was really shocking for us. We feel that it is a threat to our linguistic freedom. We need an apology from the concerned person as they have humiliated the whole state," Fameer CK, representative of Delhi Action Committee of Malayali Nurses told ANI.
"If the administration is saying that they did not have any information, then the matter gets much more serious. It should be treated as misconduct and serious action should be taken if a person is who is not concerned to issue a letter and is doing so on official letterhead," he added.
The nurse union representative has also urged asked Delhi government to take strict action against the Nursing Superintendent of GB Pant Hospital.
(With Agency Inputs)