Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday denied any attempt to impose Hindi or relegate the use of Tamil in the implementation of the Official Language Policy at JIPMER.
Addressing press persons at JIPMER, she said JIPMER adopted no discriminatory policies, and one of the four circulars issued, based on the direction of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language, stipulated the use of the regional language (Tamil) in display boards/signage, besides English and Hindi.
In fact, by order of prominence, the signage would be in Tamil, followed by Hindi and English, according to one of the circulars, she said. “As far as I am concerned, the most relevant circular is the one that states that Tamil would be accorded prominence in public signboards and patients’ documents,” she said.
Ms. Soundararajan said the circulars were nothing but a reiteration of the instructions of the Parliamentary Committee and more of a reminder for adherence. The circular on having internal records in Hindi, as well as in English, was meant for service book entries for staff members who only knew Hindi, she added.
The Lt. Governor said JIPMER’s role in COVID-19 management when the pandemic was at its peak was immeasurable. It had been collaborating with the government to serve the population of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.
Refusing to comment on the protests led by the Opposition parties, the Lt. Governor said it was in everyone’s interest that the hospital could render services to the poor without disruption.
