Anbumani Ramadoss slams gas companies for Hindi-only customer service in TN

PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday (March 13) denounced the customer service practices of major gas companies in Tamil Nadu, accusing them of enforcing linguistic dominance by exclusively communicating in Hindi.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi leader characterised this behaviour by the companies as an intolerable “modern form of linguistic oppression” that requires immediate rectification.

He underscored the negative experiences faced by customers when utilising the toll-free customer service numbers of Indane, Bharat Gas and Hindustan Petroleum. He pointed out that calls made to 1800 2333 555 from Tamil Nadu consistently received responses solely in Hindi.

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“Customers from Tamil Nadu are compelled to engage with these companies in Hindi, despite the fact that Tamil is the predominant language in the state. This situation is unacceptable,” he said.

Tamil ignored

Ramadoss noted that although these companies claim to provide options for communication in Tamil, English, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada, the actual experience for customers is markedly different.

“While there is a stated possibility for responses in Tamil and other regional languages, the reality is that customers are predominantly answered in Hindi. This constitutes a blatant infringement on the linguistic rights of Tamil speakers,” he said, calling on the firms to give precedence to Tamil.

Fact-check

The Federal repeatedly reached out to the toll-free customer service numbers of Indane, Bharat Gas and Hindustan Petroleum at 1800 2333 555.

However, despite selecting Tamil as the preferred language by pressing number 3, the customer care representative only communicated in Hindi. The Federal was met with pre-recorded messages before being directed to a customer care centre where the female employee spoke exclusively in Hindi and English.

When requested to transfer the call to a Tamil-speaking representative, she said it would be done. Instead, the connection was not established; after a wait of two to three minutes, the call got disconnected.

Call to action

Ramadoss emphasised the importance of providing communication in Tamil for companies operating in Tamil Nadu, asserting that this is not merely a matter of convenience but a fundamental right.

“These gas companies must ensure that their customer service accommodates the linguistic diversity of the regions they serve, beginning with Tamil in Tamil Nadu,” he stated, calling on regulatory bodies to take action and enforce compliance.

The remarks from the PMK leader have reignited discussions surrounding linguistic federalism, resonating with similar concerns expressed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and other Dravidian leaders.

At a rally in Tiruvallur on Wednesday (March 12), Stalin accused the Central government of imposing Hindi and diminishing state autonomy, a sentiment that Ramadoss seems to support in this instance.

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Firms yet to respond

Indane (Indian Oil Corp), Bharat Gas (Bharat Petroleum Corp) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) are key contributors to the oil and gas industry in Tamil Nadu.

These firms, functioning under government regulation, maintain a substantial footprint in the state, with customer service centres serving millions of residents.

Nevertheless, Ramadoss’ claims indicate a discrepancy between established policies and their implementation, especially regarding compliance with local language preferences.

Although gas companies have yet to address Ramadoss' claims, the matter is expected to strike a chord with people in Tamil Nadu, where a strong sense of Tamil identity is of significant political influence.