After protests, Southern Railway withdraws circular asking staff to use only Hindi or English for official communication

CHENNAI: Following protests by DMK leaders and workers, Southern Railway on Friday withdrew a circular to station staff and train operation controllers instructing them to avoid using regional languages while communicating officially.
The circular, issued on Wednesday (June 12), said only English or Hindi should be used to communicate. This was to avoid any miscommunication, it said. “The objective of this exercise to ensure that communication is improved between controllers and head offices,” it said.
The circular came a few weeks after the Centre’s three-language policy caused an uproar in Tamil Nadu.
On Friday, DMK cadre staged a protest outside Southern Railway's office in Park Town against the circular alleging that it was a move to impose Hindi on the state. Party leaders, led by Dayanidhi Maran MP, met Southern Railway general manager Rahul Jain. After the meeting, Jain said the circular would be withdrawn.
A fresh circular issued on Friday afternoon says the base circular (dated May 17) for the June 12 circular was superseded. It says nothing about language to he used by controllers and station staff. “…it may be ensured that communication between controllers and station masters does not give room to any misunderstanding and ambiguity and is clearly understood by all concerned.”
‘Give a full stop’
Earlier, in a statement, DMK president M K Stalin said, "Through the circular, the Railway is not only trying to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu but also is attempting to make it a dominant language."
“The circular is arrogant. The Railway is bullying its officials,” he said. Stalin and wanted the circular to be withdrawn.
He said the central government should put a full stop to the move to impose Hindi on the state. “If not, the DMK will put a full stop to Hindi in the state,” he said.