Most of Govt Offices use English for Signing, Stamps and Displaying Officers’ Names

Hindi made compulsory in Maharashtra while use of Marathi is optional

– Mr Pritam Nachankar, Mumbai

Mumbai – Hindi will be a compulsory subject from the forthcoming educational year from the first standard. Marathi patrons are quite unhappy with this decision. MNS has staged agitations against this decision; therefore, there are debates going on in the State on this issue with full force. On one hand, Hindi is being made compulsory, but there is utter indifference towards use of Marathi though it is the State-language, mother tongue. In a survey conducted by ‘Marathi Bhasha Sanchalanalaya (MBS)’ in 40 Government offices, it was observed that English was used for signing, displaying names of officers and the departments’ stamps made for office use. In fact, in all offices the situation was more or less similar. All the reports have been obtained by ‘Dainik Sanatan Prabhat’s representative, Mr Pritam Nachankar under the ‘Right to Information’.

1. As per the survey of MBS, average use of Marathi language in Government offices is 75- 90%. It is a good thing from the viewpoint of the use of Marathi language.

2. It was observed that regular correspondence, various applications, bills, minutes of meetings, records in inward-outward registers were done in Marathi; but in many offices, officers and staff members were signing in English, the stamps made of different departments were in English so also the boards displaying names of officers were most commonly in English.

Specific orders of the State Government; disregard for its execution

There should be use of only Marathi in all the State matters was the order issued by the then Chief Secretary of the State Mr Bhushan Gagrani on 07.05.2018 giving instructions to use Marathi for all correspondence and communication, signatures, rubber stamps made for respective departments, etc. The order also advises to use the names of suburbs like Bandra and Sion as Vandre and Sheev respectively.

Order for disciplinary action remains on paper !

There is also a specific order of the State Government to take disciplinary action in the form of giving warning in writing, making a note in confidential reports, holding responsible for evasion, and withholding increment for one year, etc., against such Government offices where the use of Marathi is repeatedly and deliberately evaded. Despite MBS’ repeated instructions, no action has been taken so far.

Moreover, the Government offices, which were surveyed and reports on their working sent to Marathi Bhasha Vibhag, were expected to carry out necessary changes in their working and convey the department of compliance; but they have not sent the reports to Marathi Bhasha Vibhag so far and such is the situation of Marathi Bhasha in this State.