New Delhi: With September 14 marked as Hindi Diwas, Social and RTI activist Harpal Rana Wednesday said that despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to promote the language in a big way, PMO, Union ministries, Delhi, and state government departments still reply in English.
"Hindi has not been given the status of the national language. The constitutional provision was made several years ago, but Hindi is yet to get the status of the national language. As far as the use of the English language is concerned, it was allowed to be used for fifteen years till 1965. But the use of the English language is still in practice in government offices, Central and several of the state government offices."
"Our honorable Prime Minister has been doing every bit for the promotion of the Hindi language. Even the United Nations have begun accommodating the Hindi language in its official work. But, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sincere efforts for the Hindi language are being negated by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) itself," he said.
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The activist added: "I used to receive 100 letters every month written in the English language by the government of India, Delhi and other state government departments. The reply of letters coming from the National Highways Authority of India, the health ministry, Delhi state government offices, and others are in the English language."
The letters written in the Hindi language seeking reply from ministry, government offices, and departments, should be given in Hindi — which the departments concerned are not doing, he said. "This is a violation of the Rajbhasa Act 1963 and 1976 — because the rule permits sending replies in Hindi when the query has been put up in Hindi language," he said.
