Language troubles MCD leaders

The banners, posters and hoardings put up across the city for the upcoming Commonwealth Games have irked the legislative wing of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Leaders of the civic agency House are upset over the fact that all these hoardings and banners are only in English.

The banners, posters and hoardings put up across the city for the upcoming Commonwealth Games have irked the legislative wing of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Leaders of the civic agency House are upset over the fact that all these hoardings and banners are only in English.

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Claiming that the Games are an opportunity to showcase the national culture and heritage, the legislative wing of the civic body said all these hoardings and banners should also be in Hindi, the national language.

"I will be writing a letter to the Union sports minister M.S. Gill and the chairman of the Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi regarding this. We don't want to remove any of the banners or hoardings, as not much time is left. But there is a lot of empty space on these hoardings and they should affix 'Swagatam' in Hindi on the same banner," said Subhash Arya, leader of the MCD House.

He warned that if that is not done within a week, BJP workers will paste 'Welcome' in Hindi on all the banners and posters themselves.

The civic agency has given a total of 36 sites to the Organising Committee free of cost.

Leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly V.K. Malhotra has already shot off a letter to Suresh Kalmadi asking him to make all the banners bilingual with immediate effect.

"We have given them all the sites for free, though it could have earned us huge revenue. So we hope they will look into our request, too," Arya said.

Leader of opposition in Delhi assembly V.K. Malhotra has already shot off a letter to Suresh Kalmadi asking him to make all the banners bilingual with immediate effect.