Revised MPLADS guidelines: Kerala MP Brittas alleges Hindi imposition

The draft of the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme’s (MPLADS) revised guidelines “enforces” the Hindi language and “impairs” the principles of cooperative federalism, Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas said on Friday (November 4).

The CPI(M) leader from Kerala also raised a number of other issues with the draft guidelines released on October 25.

Brittas wrote a letter to Rao Inderjit Singh, the Union minister of state for statistics and programme implementation, planning and corporate affairs, explaining the issues with the draft.

Also read: Making Hindi common language would weaken nation, lead to war over languages: CPI(M)

“Para 3.23 of the new draft guidelines surreptitiously tries to introduce a new stipulation of erecting a plaque at MPLADS project sites inscribing the details of work in Hindi language as well. No such condition was there in the existing guidelines,” said Brittas in response to the Centre’s request for feedback on the revised MPLADS draft guidelines.

In a tweet, Brittas shared a copy of the letter he wrote to Singh and posted, “GOI will say they are for all Indian languages but overtly and covertly thrust upon Hindi. Even the revised guidelines on MPLADS smacks of this – get the plaques written in Hindi too!”

GOI will say they are for all Indian languages but overtly and covertly thrust upon Hindi. Even the revised guidelines on MPLADS smacks of this – get the plaques written in Hindi too! pic.twitter.com/VCvashywuP

— John Brittas (@JohnBrittas) November 5, 2022

According to the CPI(M) leader, the enforced directive to depict details of work in Hindi language in the non-Hindi speaking states of India will be considered as an infringement of federal principles.

“The selection of languages to be used may be left to the wisdom of respective MPs,” he said.

Also read: Hindi not competitor, but a friend of all regional languages: Amit Shah

Brittas, while referring to the revision in the amount to be recommended for works to societies, cooperative societies and trusts from ₹1 crore to ₹50 lakh, said there should be an upward revision considering the ever-growing inflation.

“MPLADS funding, as things stand, has been stagnating for a decade or more and it is up to the government to see whether any increase is needed as substantive erosion has happened on account of inflationary pressure,” said Brittas.