Toothless department struggles in pursuit of Tamil protection

CHENNAI: Steps are underway to ensure that Tamil is used as an official language for communication in government offices across the State, said Minister for Industries Thangam Thennarasu, who also holds the Tamil official Language and Tamil Culture portfolio.

However, officials, who served with the Tamil Development Department (TDD), say that TDD can not enforce this rule unless the department officials are granted powers to take action against those who violate the TDD G.O.  A retired Joint Director, who had served in TDD, told Express that over 10 G.Os had been passed in the last five decades to implement the use of Tamil as an official language.

“But these regulations remained on paper. The G.Os had directed officials to sign files and give initials in Tamil; issue communications in Tamil, and preparation of proposals only in Tamil. No one is accountable to punish those who violate these G.Os. The governments took no action against erring staff despite repeated complaints raised by TDD,” he added.

Another retired official, who sought anonymity, said that the TDD officials have powers to inspect government offices and check if the officials are communicating, and signing files in Tamil. “In case, any officer is violating norms, the TDD can take no action. The department cannot even issue a memo against the guilty staff. We have to write to the District Collector of the incident, and then he or she might initiate action through the head of the department concerned. In my three-decade long career, I never witnessed an officer facing action for violating G.Os on the use of Tamil language. So, the TDD inspections became just namesake and none of the government officials took it seriously,” he told Express. 

Tamil activist and advocate AS Bhuvaneswaran opines that the Tamil Development Department needs an independent minister as the department has so many wings such as International Institute of Tamil Studies, Ulaga Tamil Sangam, Tamil University, Tamil Virtual Academy and others. Multiple attempts were made by Express to contact TDD officials to understand the department’s strategy, but the call went unanswered.

Independent minister 
Tamil activist and advocate AS Bhuvaneswaran opines that the TDD needs an independent minister as the department has many wings