PANJIM: Days after Goa Forward Party threatened not to allow landing of flights if announcements are not made in the local language, the Union Civil Aviation Ministry issued a directive on Wednesday asking all 100 odd airports in the country to make public announcements in the local language first, followed by Hindi and English. The move follows a directive from Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu.
TCP Minister and Goa Forward leader Vijai Sardesai had last week demanded that airlines be asked to make in flight announcements in Konkani. “If there is no announcement in Konkani, don’t allow flights to land,” he had said on Dec 22, exhorting the youth wing of his party to take up the issue.
Officials said that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued a directive to all aerodromes under its control to start making public announcements in the local language in addition to Hindi and English.
The directions would not be applicable to silent airports, where public announcements are not made.
Soon after the Civil Aviation ministry circular, Goa Forward Party claimed victory on the issue. “Our language is our third parent. Those who mock its relevance, its importance, its evolutionary role of shaping our identity mocks those who speak it, value it and promote it. Our president Vijai Sardesai stands vindicated,” stated the official Goa Forward twitter handle after the announcement by Civil Aviation Ministry.
Sardesai too tweeted saying, “Dev borem korum, @sureshpprabhu! Our language is our identity and you’ve, in one prompt and express decision, celebrated the linguistic and cultural diversity of our nation, and answered, in no uncertain terms, those who tend to ridicule and belittle it.”
