Bengaluru: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a directive to airlines, asking them to carry an equal number of Hindi and English magazines and newspapers.
In a letter dated July 17, the civil aviation regulator asked all Indian carriers to “ensure that the directive is followed. Airlines should carry Hindi and English publications in equal quantities”.
“Indian flights either don’t carry Hindi newspapers and magazines or they carry them in limited numbers. This goes against the official language policy of India,” it said.
Hitting out at the DGCA, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted: “DGCA now wants Hindi publications served on Indian flights (together with vegetarian meals?)!”
DGCA now wants Hindi publications served on Indian flights (together with vegetarian meals?)! https://t.co/gpkZVKFcOu— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 26, 2017
Congress national spokesperson Sanjay Jha, too, opposed the directive and said, “Why has this become an issue? Have the passengers asked for Hindi newspapers and magazines?”
Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah dismissed the matter and claimed that the carriers from the Gulf countries carry more Arabic newspapers than the English ones. “Offer people a choice,” he added.
No harm. The super carriers from the Gulf that we love to frequent carry more Arabic newspapers than English ones. Offer people a choice ✅ https://t.co/YAS5RXWV1G— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) July 26, 2017
The DGCA directive is likely to fuel the war of words over the alleged imposition of Hindi after signboards at Bengaluru Metro stations were covered up.
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