Malayalam is as Indian as any other Indian language: Rahul Gandhi over Delhi hospital row

After a Delhi government hospital issued a circular asking nurses to 'not speak in Malayalam' during duty, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi slammed the act and urged to stop discrimination among Indian languages. Meanwhile, as per sources, the hospital on Sunday has withdrawn the controversial circular. 

 "Malayalam was as Indian as any other Indian language. Stop language discrimination," he tweeted. 

Delhi govt hospital bars nurses from speaking in Malayalam

This row erupted after Delhi govt-run Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (GIPMER) on Saturday, forbade its nursing personnel from communicating in Malayalam. Aimed at the nursing staff which hails majorly from Kerala, the hospital stated that 'maximum patients and colleagues do not understand Malayalam' and were 'feeling helpless'. The hospital directed the nursing staff to converse in Hindi or English only, warning them of serious consequences otherwise. Meanwhile, as per sources, GIPMER on Sunday has withdrawn the controversial circular. 

"A complaint has been received regarding Malayalam language being used for communication in working places in GIPMER. Whereas maximum patients and colleagues do not know this language and feel helpless causing a lot of inconveniences. So it is directed all nursing personnel to use only Hindi and English for communication. Otherwise, serious action will be taken,” reads the order. Nurses have criticized the move and said they always talk to patients in Hindi.