'People Have To Be Sensitized': Gujarat HC Disposes PIL To Implement Govt's Circular To Prioritise Use Of Gujarati At Public Places
The Gujarat High Court today disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea for the strict implementation of the Gujarat Government's circular to use the Gujarati language as a medium of communication in all government offices, complexes, public spaces and privately owned offices and buildings meant for the public use.When the Counsel for the PIL petitioner/organisation Gujarati Vichar...
The Gujarat High Court today disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea for the strict implementation of the Gujarat Government's circular to use the Gujarati language as a medium of communication in all government offices, complexes, public spaces and privately owned offices and buildings meant for the public use.
When the Counsel for the PIL petitioner/organisation Gujarati Vichar Manch submitted that in most places the language is being used but private persons are not following the circular for private-public premises (cinema halls, restaurants, etc.), the Bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha P. Mayee remarked thus:
"Private people have to be sensitized, they can't be forced by a court's order. You start this with public meetings, and public slogans, there are many modes of sensitizing people. You can sensitize them about the benefits of using matrubhasha. We can't issue any mandamus to them."
However, the Court further asked the state's counsel to ensure that the government's circular in its true letter and spirit and with this, the PIL plea was disposed of.
During the course of the hearing, the Chief Justice said that she was observing that at most places Gujarati language was being used. She also said that she was trying to read and understand Gujarati.
Recently, the High Court DISMISSED as 'misconceived' a PIL plea seeking a direction to the state govt to implement the (then) Governor's 2012 decision authorizing the use of the Gujarati Language in addition to English in the court proceedings before the HC.
The PIL plea, which also challenged the October 2012 decision (taken on the administrative side) of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court rejecting the proposal to permit the use of the Gujarati Language, was moved last year by a Social Worker Rohit Jayantilal Patel through Senior Advocate Asim Pandya.
"Even a decision of the CJI taken on the administrative side is binding on the High Court so if you have any kind of dispute regarding an administrative decision of the CJI, you have to go to the Supreme Court. We will not be able to help you. We can't issue any direction after the Supreme Court has considered the matter and the CJI has refused to give concurrence to this," Chief Justice Suita Agarwal remarked.