Language policy unchanged: PMO Friday June 20,2014

After the Union Home Ministry’s May 27,2014 instruction to government departments to use Hindi compulsorily in their social media communications spiralled into a political controversy, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) clarified on Friday June 20,2014 that the directive applied only to Hindi-speaking States and did not amount to a change in policy.

“This is neither a new policy nor an attempt to impose the use of Hindi on any non-Hindi-speaking State,” a PMO release said.

The PMO clarification came in the wake of loud protests from Tamil Nadu, capped by a letter from Chief Minister Jayalalithaa who urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure “that English is used on social media.”

The release said the instruction was only a follow-up to the Ministry’s circular on March 10 — when the United Progressive Alliance was in power — to the same effect. “It was a routine circular and the government has no intention to impose Hindi on any State,” said Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju