New Delhi: In a clear directive, Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi has asked the nearly 80,000 strong police force in the national capital to use Hindi in all official communications to "serve the common man better".
The directive was issued through a circular on September 9, five days before Hindi Divas, to all 11 police districts besides administrative and special units like the Crime Branch, Special Cell, Traffic and Licensing.
In the circular, Bassi claimed that using the "official language of the nation" would help serve the common man better as it will improve level of communication".
"All languages are dear to us, but Hindi is our mother- language and the official language of the nation. So it is my job to ensure that all official work in our department is done in lay man Hindi or conversational Hindi from now onward. This would help the common man understand us more easily," the circular reads.
The Police Commissioner also directed his force to draft all official documents in Hindi.
"Delhi Police is not only entrusted with law and order but also devoted to the service of the common man. Therefore, all officials are requested to draft all official documents in Hindi and the practice should not be confined to September 14, that is Hindi Divas," said Bassi.
The top cop also directed senior officials to guide juniors accordingly and accept Hindi documents without any hesitation.
"The officials carrying out the directions in the circular with due diligence should also be rewarded," he said.
Delhi Police has around half-a-dozen senior officials in DCP and above ranks who hail from the northeastern states and are not as seasoned in Hindi as their north Indian counterparts. When asked about the circular, Delhi Police Spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said it was to ensure better interaction with the common man.
He said complaints attached to FIRs are written in Hindi unless the complainants are written in English.
"From now on internal communication documents like letters between superiors and sub-ordinates, notices, circulars and file notings are expected to be in Hindi too," he said.
