Updated 22 August 2020 at 14:07 IST
Kamal Haasan slams AYUSH Ministry over language row, says 'this is not a Hindi govt'
MNM chief Kamal Haasan on Saturday, August 22 came down heavily on an AYUSH Ministry official for criticising Tamil doctors for not knowing Hindi
Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan on Saturday, August 22 came down heavily on an AYUSH Ministry official for criticising Tamil doctors for not knowing Hindi. Haasan said 'this is Government of India not government of Hindi'. He further maintained that it is the duty of the Centre government to operate in a language everyone understands.
Taking to Twitter Hassan condemned the AYUSH official's behaviour and wrote that it was the humility of Tamil doctors that they didn't question AYUSH Ministry officials on how they will understand the medicine of Tamil Nadu without knowing Tamil. He added that it was the responsibility of the government to operate in a language everyone understands, and strongly reiterated that this is not a Hindi government but the Indian government.
AYUSH secretary insults Tamil delegates
His reaction came at the time when union AYUSH secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha during an online conference conducted by the Centre for doctors said 'he will not speak in English' and told people who don't understand Hindi to leave the conference. Kotecha's remark sparked controversy and has faced a backlash from many non-Hindi speaking population from South India.
Thirty-seven government hospital doctors from Tamil Nadu were a part of this conference which included 300 participants. The event was organised by the Ministry of AYUSH and Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga for Master Trainers of Yoga. According to reports most of the sessions were held in Hindi and the AYUSH secretary, during his speech in Hindi, said people who raised the language issue can leave, adding that he doesn't speak English well.
DMK MP calls for disciplinary action
Meanwhile, DMK MP Kanimozhi on Saturday, August 22 demanded a disciplinary action against the secretary. Condemning the remarks she said, "Vaidya Rajesh Kottecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, has said in a training class of the Ministry that those who do not know Hindi can leave. Disciplinary action should be taken against that secretary. How many more days are we going to tolerate being insulted if we don’t know Hindi?"
Published By : Brigitte Fernandes
Published On: 22 August 2020 at 14:07 IST