Railways to withdraw controversial circular

New Delhi, May 17 (UNI) Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today announced withdrawal of a controversial circular which had earlier led to adjournment of the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour following uproarious scenes.

When members remained dissatisfied with the reply by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi on the issue, alleging the Railways' bias against use of regional languages, the Railway Minister walked in announcing withdrawal of the circular. He said the Railway Ministry accepted the three-language formula and will work according to it.

Referring to the use of Tamil by the Railways in Tamil Nadu but no other regional language in respective states, he said his ministry went by the guidelines issued by the Union Home Ministry.

But he assured the House that the Railway Ministry will take all parties into confidence on the issue of use of language by it.

Later, Mr Lalu Prasad suggested convening an all-party meeting on the issue.

Earlier, Mr Dasmunsi said the government respected all languages recognised by the Constitution and promised the House there would be no such aberration in the future. When members expressed their dissatisfaction over the reply, Mr Dasmunsi quipped, ''I am not the Railway Minister but will take it with him.'' Even as the ruckus continued on the issue, in walked Mr Laloo Prasad to the relief of the House.

Earlier, Lok Sabha witnessed uproarious scenes and had to be adjourned when Mr B K Tripathi (BJD) alleged that the Railways were biased against the use of regional languages other than Tamil.

The trouble began during Zero Hour when Mr Tripathi read out from an official circular to prove his point that the Railways were not following the three-language formula, except in Tamil Nadu. The official ciruclar was addressed to the General Managers of the Railways.

Mr Tripathi said for defining the destinations, the Railways were using English and Hindi, while for destinations in the southern states, Tamil was also to be used.

UNI