After criticism, Delhi hospital revokes order barring nurses from speaking in Malayalam

An order barring nursing staff of a Delhi government hospital from speaking in Malayalam in the hospital has been revoked, the Medical Director of the hospital said on Sunday. 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had expressed his discontent over the order.

"Malayalam is as Indian as any other Indian language. Stop language discrimination!," Mr Gandhi tweeted along with a news report of the aforementioned circular.

The nursing superintendent of Govind Ballabh Pant hospital (GIPMER), in a circular, that was also shared by Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor, directed all nurses to only use English or Hindi for communication as most of the staff and patients do not know Malayalam language.

"A complaint has been received regarding Malayalam language is 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 office order said warning the nurses of strict action if they do not communicate in Hindi or English.

Mr Tharoor termed the order as "crude and offensive."

"It boggles the mind that in democratic India a government institution can tell its nurses not to speak in their mother tongue to others who understand them. This is unacceptable, crude, offensive and a violation of the basic human rights of Indian citizens. A reprimand is overdue!," he tweeted. (UNI)